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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The Pure Causeway

BY

Evelyn Harvey Roberts

71

CHICAGO

CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY

56 Fifth Avenue

1

32459

Copyright, 1899
By Evelyn Harvey Roberts.

Tfh 'TWO COP! _:iV£D,

MAYS?;i 1899

"There will a pure causeway arise,
It will be called the Holy Way;
The unclean will not pass over it,
And fools will err elsewhere.

"No lion will be there,
No violent beast will come up thither,
But thereon the redeemed will walk
And JHVH's freed ones will return.

"They will come to Zion with exultation
And with everlasting joy upon their head;
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
Sorrow and sighing will flee away."

ISAIAH.

TO

PROF. GEORGE D. HERRON

THIS LITTLE BOOK

IS INSCRIBED BY ONE WHO HAS

LEARNED FROM HIM THAT THE SALVATION

TAUGHT BY JESUS IS A SALVATION NOT FOR EACH BUT

FOR ALL, AND THAT IT IS IN OUR POWER

TO MAKE THIS SALVATION A

PRESENT FACT.

,•>,.,

PAET I.
THE TEAVAIL OF THE AGES.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY.

"Produce! Produce! Were it but the pitifullest infinitesi-
mal fraction of a product, produce it in God's name!"

These words, so much needed in this day, when
men and women engage so wildly in unproductive
toil, haunted me continually for a year or more, till
I finally concluded to obey the command.

I had long wished to write a book which would
convince the world that in God's universe there is no
such thing as secular life; and that all progress, along
whatsoever line, has been made by the Eternal Spirit
working through human instruments. Or, to word it
differently, I longed to make it apparent to all classes
of thinkers that the Christ-Life is the Light of men,
whether it shines along the path of art, science, poli-
tics, industry or morals.

Naturally I shrank from work which required rare
talents and exhaustive knowledge; but I finally cast
my self-depreciation (or more probably my lack of
faith in the power of the Infinite to transform and use
the finite) to the winds and began.

10 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

I was overwhelmed with the task, for my subject
embraced all aspects of life, and no department could
be slighted.

In pursuance of my object I was attending a meet-
ing at Cooper Union, held for the purpose of discuss-
ing some of our present-day problems, when I was
turned aside, for the present at least, from the work
of writing the History of the World from Chaos to
Order, and was led to record somewhat of the History
of One Soul in its Struggles from Impotence to
Power.

It neither happened nor chanced, but took place
on this wise:

Just as the meeting was about to open, a young
man of singular beauty entered and seated himself at
my left. I was immediately and powerfully at-
tracted to him, not simply on account of the outward
beauty of face and figure, but because of the irrresist-
ible influence which surrounds a strong personality.

His whole bearing suggested power and purpose;
yet I noticed a marked restlessness and anxiety which
indicated a lack of poise, if not a positive weakness in
the man.

I felt impelled to seek his acquaintance. No op-
portunity, however, appeared for some time, as he
seemed absorbed in the addresses of the evening, his

THE PURE CAUSEWAY \\

expressive face meanwhile affording an interesting
study.

Finally when the opening came for some advance
on my part, he responded gracefully, though he
baffled all my attempts to come into touch with the
real self behind the dignified and reserved exterior.

Was he boy or man, I wondered. The face
looked like that of a youth of great refinement and
purity, untouched as yet by the hardening process of
the world. Yet his bearing suggested some years' ex-
perience, as well as of a man's earnest purpose.

In all probability, had it not been for a seemingly
trifling circumstance, we would have been strangers
to this day.

But during an intermission in the programme,
Louise (of whom you will hear more later) came to
confer with me, and stood awhile chatting with her
usual earnestness and vivacity.

She certainly was a beautiful picture as she stood
there in her simple dark green gown, which served
to bring out the rich lights in her auburn hair and
soft brown eyes.

Almost immmediately I was aware of my neigh-
bor's intense interest in her and I was moved to pro-
long the conversation in order to use to the utmost

12 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the one influence which was to prove the open sesame
to his heart.

On returning from escorting Louise to her place
I noticed a change in the attitude of the stranger on
my left, for he now took the initiative in the con-
versations which naturally spring up at such a gath-
ering. It therefore seemed a natural and easy thing,
at the end of the meeting; to suggest his returning
with me to the hotel at which I was stopping, that I
might show him a valuable work on one of the topics
of the evening.

We were soon cozily chatting by the fire; yet
through all our conversation I could not but feel that
something of more importance was to come. So it
was no surprise when my new acquaintance, whose
name, by the way, he had said was Alan Barrett, ex-
claimed suddenly: "But, Martin, 1 don't care a fig just
now about municipal matters. The real motive I had
in accepting your hospitality was that I might dis-
cover if possible the secret of the wonderful person-
ality of your friend who came to speak with you at
the meeting.

"While she was talking I was marvelously im-
pressed with the great contrast between her and the
rest of the audience— unless, perhaps, I except you;

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 13

for you too are noticeably different from the mass of
men.

"But as your friend stood there with a back-
ground of careworn, nervous faces, she seemed like a
vision of abounding life and joy. If you can explain
such a phenomenon in this weary, prosaic world do
so, for I need your help."

His voice as well as his face bespoke sincerity, and
believing that it was more than idle curiosity that
made him speak as he did I replied: "Indeed I can
explain and am if possible more anxious to do so than
you are to have me. But, in order that I may know
how best to present that which you so plainly need,
you must tell me somewhat of yourself. Can we not
cast aside all fear of being misunderstood and speak
face to face as brothers?

"You are plainly anxious for just the help that I
can give you, but first tell me briefly how you came to
feel as you do at present, anxious to do your part
manfully, yet almost disgusted with the ones you
would help."

He gave me a piercing glance and seemed about
to resent my diagnosis, but instead he relapsed into a
reverie, intent upon past scenes and experiences. He
was entirely oblivious to his present surroundings and
so I was able to notice more critically than heretofore

14 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

his well-proportioned, graceful figure and delicate,
mobile face. His fine brow and brilliant blue eyes
indicated great power of thought and feeling, while
the lower part of the face revealed refinement and
strength of will.

What is the meaning of that evident dissatisfac-
tion and restlessness, I wondered, impressed as I was
more and more with his strong personality. Evi-
dently he was of too fine a fiber to find satisfaction
in the ordinary pursuits and ideals of ordinary men.

A sudden flaring of the fire aroused him and start-
ing up he exclaimed:

"How long have I been wandering in the past, I
wonder? I have been trying to review it as if it were
another's, and this is the way it honestly impresses

me:

"The first twenty years seem to me now unusually
happy ones; for, born as I was of upright and cultured
parents, surrounded by an atmosphere of love, blessed
also with every opportunity for physical, mental and
moral development, I encountered none of the rough
side of life, and so drifted merrily along on a wave of
happiness.

"Yet I really led two lives; one in the world of
books, in Which my deeper feelings were aroused, for
I was passionately fond of the poets, while outwardly,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 15

on the other hand, I was an ease-loving, rollicking,
happy boy, content to let the future seek me, instead
of hurrying into manhood's work.

"Fm sure I don't know whether at that time this
seeming lack of ambition was due to laziness pure and
simple, or whether it was the outcome of a genuine
modesty as to my own capabilities.

"For though I never seemed anxious to work, I
had high ideals of life and attainment and therefore
found it more natural to appreciate and admire the
beautiful in other men's work than to seek to realize
it in my own.

"If any one had told me at that time that I did not
think deeply or truly I would have resented it, but
now it seems to me that my emotional nature was
much more developed than either the intellect or the
will.

"Having no cause to battle with the outer world
of affairs and inheriting from noble parents tastes and
tendencies which make for morality, I had little on
which to exercise my will and my poetical tempera-
ment made me feel rather than think things out.

"While preparing to enter the legal profession I
was stricken down by a disease which seemed to pre-
clude any active life among men.

"I rebelled at first, as any young person would,

16 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

but later I came to think of this breakdown as the
means used to turn me from law to letters. For
though many had persistently encouraged me to
write/ 1 had been too modest to think that I could ever
do anything commendable in that line.

"But being put where reading and writing were
about the only things I could do, it seemed plainly
indicated that/ for the present at least, my work lay
in that direction.

"I devoured everything that came to hand and
read much more broadly than I had previously done.
I naturally hated anything that savored of oppression
and had often been deeply stirred by the anti-slavery
writings of such men as Lowell.

"Gradually I awoke to the fact that the wage
slavery of to-day is condemning an ever-incr asing
class to a bondage more intolerable than that of chat-
tel slavery. For the blacks had the necessities of life
and in many cases were care-free and happy, while
the victims of our present system have fear for their .
constant companion, even when starvation is not ac-
tually at the door.

"And as for the influences which threaten the
morals of men, an honest student has to admit that
the proletariat to-day meets temptation a hundred
times where his black brother met it once.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 17

"The more I studied into the matter the more con-
vinced I became of the fact that here was my life
work. And I gladly dedicated whatever power as a
writer I possessed to the cause of freedom, preparing
myself in every possible way to champion the dis-
possessed.

"All this time I was in gross ignorance as to the
real creatures whose cause I espoused, for I had never
known them except as I encountered them in books.
But what an awakening was in store for me!"

The sadness, almost amounting to despair, with
which he spoke made my heart ache, but I only said:

"So you are disappointed in the cause of Labor?"

"Not that exactly," he replied. "It certainly
needs help even more than I imagined, but what can
one man do in the face of selfish power on one side
and gross ignorance and selfishness on the other?
Fm beginning to feel less sure about many things
than I did once. What wouldn't I give to feel to*
day as I did only a few years ago! But probably I
am simply reaching the point to which all men must
come, where joy and hope are only names — and duty
is an indefinite shadow." And he laughed bitterly,
though his eyes met mine with an appeal for help.

"But you evidently recovered from your illness?"
I said, to recall him to his narrative.

18 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Oh, yes, to this extent, that with plenty of out-
door life and no burdensome work I can devote
enough time to my profession to support myself.

"That word 'support' suggests where much of my
trouble lies. If a man could work without a thought
as to his bread and butter how different things would
be! I simply couldn't allow my father to support me;
and so my first efforts, when strength returned, were
directed toward finding a market for my wares.

."It had always been easy for me to write in a light
vein of humor, and work of that sort soon found a
market, and before I knew it I was devoting most of
my time to such writing. It was so easy and brought
in such a nice income, while my more earnest work
did not seem to hit the mark and was often returned,
with a request for something lighter.

"At the end of a year I realized that I had vir-
tually done nothing but amuse the public and make

money.

"This knowledge irritated and worried me, for I

truly longed to do more than play the court fool.
But my attempts to arouse the public to our real con-
dition were unheeded and had no effect on the mad
rush after place and power.

"Once when mourning over my impotence a queer
old gentleman bluntly said; "No wonder your serious

9

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 19

work is not appreciated, for you understand and ap-
preciate neither mankind nor yourself/

"Of course I resented the accusation, but he
simply retorted: 'You have been looking at life
through books. Go to a large city like New York,
use your own eyes and mind, while you identify your-
self with the people you wish to help, and study the
patient first-hand. When you can diagnose the case
you may then have some hopes of suggesting a rem-
edy for the disease that is at work on the vitals of hu-
manity/

"On reflection his advice seemed pertinent, and so
here I am; yet I almost wish that I had remained in
ignorance of the sordid, mechanical mass of men, for
it has almost killed my ambition.

"Such blindness, such a lack of individuality, such
meagerness of ideas and aspirations as you meet every-
where! Pm honestly afraid that since knowing him
in the flesh I don't care much for the average toiler.
And often I am tempted to do just as many another
better man than myself has done — leave the problem
to others, and use the limitations and ignorance of
society a.s a means of mounting on its shoulders to a
place of ease and safety."

"And so put yourself on a par with the scram-
bling, preying masses?" I queried,

20 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Well, perhaps that's what it would amount to,"
he reluctantly admitted, "but I certainly wouldn't
write anything to harm them; and even now, if I only
knew how, I'd be glad to help society to a life above
mere existence."

"May I ask what was the keynote of the message
you tried to give to the public in your more serious
writings?"

Much to my surprise Barrett seemed quite em-
barrassed and hesitated some time before replying:
"It's queer, but this evening I see everything in a new
light and am making confessions to you, an utter
stranger, which I would be loath to admit to my dear-
est friends. As it appears to me now, I really had
no message to give. By that I mean that I had not
worked out any belief of my own, but was instead
merely a mouthpiece of other men."

"Yet don't you believe that people only need to
be awakened to the fact that our boasted civilization
is but a refinement of cruelty, in order to change the
present order of things?"

"I cannot believe that man is so much like a beast
of prey as to persist in his present worship of compe-
tition when light is given him."

"I agree with you, Barrett, always providing he
has the power to extricate himself.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 21

"I think you failed just because you did not pre-
sent to the people the one hope which mankind has.
Why didn't you reveal to them the only salvation pos-
sible— Jesus Christ and him crucified?"

A look of displeasure flitted across his face as he
replied: "The churches have preached that for nearly
two thousand years and slavery is as rampant as ever;
it is only the forms of oppression that have changed.
No, sir, don't speak to me of such things, when in our
land to-day a few have so clutched at the sources of
wealth that millions cannot get work at any price
and those who do are devoid of peace of mind or
health of body. Spare me any allusion to religious
topics, for neither the church nor the Bible seem to
me to meet the question of the day."

In reply I said earnestly: "In spite of the fact that
you are prejudiced and dislike such things, I beg you
will bear with me while I ask you a few questions.
If you are really in earnest, as I think you are, I will
soon show you a sight which will give you joy, hope
and faith in your fellow-man, yourself and your God
— none of which you have now in any saving degree."

He looked inquiringly at me and I could see his
momentary irritation disappearing as he laughingly
said: "Well, go ahead; I promise to be good, but don't

22 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

expect much from me, as I warn you, you need never
expect me to be a typical church member/'

"God forbid !" I exclaimed, thereby causing much
surprise in my companion. "There were enough
church members years ago to have completely trans-
formed the world, if it ever could be redeemed by
such a standard as they hold.

"Now before we go any further tell me honestly,
Barrett, do you believe Christ exists — is he real to
you?"

After an embarrassed silence on his part he said:
"If you had asked me that question two years ago I
would have tried to say yes. But I can see now that
he is real to me in exactly the same way that other
characters in history are, and no more."

"Then, though you believe in a dead Savior, you
cannot apprehend a living one who is continually
working at the same task you undertook, 'to shine
upon them that sit in darkness and to guide our feet
in the way of peace/

"But if you could know him enough to believe in
him would you risk everything in the cause and cease
your useless though harmless writings?"

He gave me a piercing look as the blood mounted
to his forehead and springing up he paced up and
down the room, saying:

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 23

"You couldn't get one out of a thousand of your
church members to give up his own support and de-
vote himself to preaching the gospel, and how can you
expect that I would be able to make such a sacrifice ?"

"Then you think Incarnate Wisdom was either
ignorant of his world and his laws or else was merely
talking to kill time when he said: "Seek ye first (mak-
ing your first object in life) the establishment of the
Kingdom of God; and all these things (material ne-
cessities for which the church as well as the world is
striving) shall be added unto you'?

"Probably he really meant to say: Seek first of all
your own welfare and advancement by competing
with your brothers, forging ahead to a position of in-
dustrial safety, even though to do that many weak
ones must suffer, and when by the superior talents
given you by the Father of all you have reached a
position of advantage, give what you can spare to the
injured ones. 'So shall ye be my disciples/ "

Barrett had stopped walking and stood looking
down at me with a clear, cold, penetrating glance,
which made me await his reply with interest.

"You've hit the nail on the head, Martin, for that
is precisely what the typical churchman is doing,
while pretending to believe in non-resistance, meek-
ness, self-abnegation and the like.

24 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"If the church would but do the things she
preaches, we would have to believe in her, and in her
religion. But as it is, the church having failed to
live up to her theory of life, individuals would be mad
to attempt such idealism.

"And so we might as well be honest and admit
that we are all in darkness; and I for one am sick of
the whole thing, sick of mankind, sick of my own
puny, powerless self, and am often tempted to say
with the rest, 'Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we
die!' " And the poor boy flung himself down relaxed
and spiritless.

Rising from my chair I took from the table drawer
a manuscript, and, going up to him as he sat the pic-
ture of despair, I said: "Barrett, you have reached the
point where you have to admit that the moral man
(in the popular sense of the word), the natural man,
no matter how good he may be, is powerless in the
face of the world's great distress.

"A number of my classmates reached the same
point a few years ago and would have joined the
great chorus of 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity/ had
they not been led to feel the power of the resurrection
from dead faith to living works. And day after to-
morrow, if you will go with me, you shall see the
convincing miracle — the Word made flesh.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 25

"But first I want you to read this sketch of how
these friends were led to obey the truth in unfeigned
love. And I also want you to read it in the light of
these passages in the Bible which I have marked,"
handing him as I spoke a Bible marked so that each
verse referred to the next.

"Take time, to-morrow, to read all I've asked you
and come to me in the evening.

"Then whether you feel any differently from the
present or not, if you are willing, we will go together
to visit a city whose builder and maker is God."

He still seemed devoid of energy; but rising he
took the Bible and manuscript as I had requested and
bade me "good-night," evidently too tired and dis-
couraged to be either opposed to or interested in my
suggestion.

However, by the next afternoon he became some-
what curious as to the contents of my manuscript, and
so, settling himself comfortably, he read the follow-
ing memoranda, gathered from diaries, letters and
notes, which tell in outline of the birth of a move-
ment which in time will "make all things new."

AN EXTEACT FROM MY OWN DIARY WRITTEN
WHILE IN COLLEGE.

June 1, 1882. Whew! how near we are to the
end! Only a few days more and our class will sepa-
rate forever. But Pll be glad to get through, for
Fm determined to pitch right into the fray, and HI
make a name for myself if it takes a leg.

What a bang-up time we had this afternoon! I
don't usually care for picnics, but our "Thirteen
Club" certainly makes an exceptionally nice little
party and I can thank sentimental old Stafford for
proposing one more trip up the lake before the end
of the term.

And the girls quite outdid themselves in the mat-
ter of lunch, despite Jim's protest against luxurious
living. I noticed, too, that he didn't hesitate to do
the said luncheon ample justice. When Olive rallied
him on the discrepancy between his theory and prac-
tice, he crawled, as those who pose as reformers always
have to, saying that he could at least do his part to
prevent any of the grub having to be carried back
again.

After the grubbing process we all gathered by the
lake to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets I've
ever seen.

26

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 27

A boisterous wind was blowing the clouds across
the heavens at highest speed, and the rapid motion of
amber and red clouds, mixed as they were with others
resembling smoke, gave the effect of a great conflagra-
tion, the reflection in the water intensifying it all a
hundred-fold.

The colors gradually paled and we all settled our-
selves to await the moon and have a farewell chat.

Stafford made the doleful remark that probably
we would never again be all together "with nobody by
to hinder," and that started the girls in a vein of sen-
timent which I could have dispensed with, for such
talk bores me to death.

However, it rather becomes the feminine gender,
and Helen was a perfect picture as she sat there in
the moonlight. But Olive seemed the most bewitch-
ing of all, with her dark, rich beauty and fascinating
ways; and when she read our futures in the palms of
our hands she seemed a veritable gypsy.

Such fun! I could not but wonder if some of the
guesses would prove to be true, and here they are for
future reference:

Florence — A life of ease, blessed with good health,
terminating in a happy home; for she marries and
lives happily ever after."

Louise— Capable of anything— yet never quite
succeeding because led astray by the women suf-
fragists.

Helen— A perfect success on the operatic stage —
the favorite of the day.

28 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

Hilman — A queer stick, dabbling in the black
arts, till lured from his hobby by the one who was to
be his better half. (Of course, as he is an heir to an
enormous fortune, Olive meant herself. But the old
boy didn't seem to see the point.)

Doc — An erratic idealist and reformer, who ends
his days in the woods eating bread-fruit, because the
cold world turns him out.

Don — At first an anarchist, socialist and what not,
who undertakes great things for mankind, but ends
by doing just as everybody else does.

(He didn't like that a bit — maybe because he's
afraid he will.)

Jove! I'm too sleepy to finish — no time like to-
morrow for left-overs.

Commencement Day, June 13, 1882. Ye gods and
little fishes, what an oration that boy gave us! I al-
ways knew he could take a house by storm if he would
let himself out. But what a bomb he threw into the
enemy's camp! (which of course includes every one but
himself).

It's a pity he hasn't another hobby, for he could
rise to the top of the heap if he'd take a more popular-
course. I wonder if he won't meet some tragic end.
Poor Don, we all love him in spite of his fanaticisms,
and it was great fun to see him strike out from the
shoulder in the face of all the elite — they looked as if
they were having a shower bath or were tasting per-
simmons. He certainly was fine and succeeded in
stirring me up for the space of two minutes and a half!

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 29

If he could keep that sort of thing up I might get
interested myself in the submerged tenth. However
it's a personal matter to him, having come from some
lower strata. I wonder why he doesn't turn his back
on it all and devote his energies to his own rise in the
world?

June 18, 1882. So it's all over, and now for work.
I'm going to dig right at my profession through sum-
mer and winter, for I'm bound to succeed.

Wonder what reports we'll each give when our
club meets ten years hence.

When Hilman urged us all so earnestly to move
heaven and earth to be at the reunion he looked al-
most uncanny. What is the old boy up to, anyway?
He's queer enough, goodness knows, and if he werpn't
as rich as Croesus he wouldn't be so popular. But
then of course we all bow down to him and Went-
worth because they hold the money-bags.

But I'll have the world at my feet, too, some day —
for I'm headed for the top o' the heap!

The following letters passed between a few of us during
the ten years between graduation and our reunion and help
to indicate the change of thought and surroundings which
some of our circle experienced.

Letter from the Doctor ("Jim") to Don:

New York, Dec. — , 1885.
The Hon. Thomas Cornelson, Blank Street, Blankety
Blank Blank:
In fact, as far as your old friends are concerned

30 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

you are a complete blank. Can't you let an old com-
rade know somewhat of your whereabouts and how-
abouts?

Because of culpable neglect on your part I am
daily picturing you as being worn to the bone with all
your exertions in behalf of the oppressed.

We might as well be at the antipodes as far as see-
ing each other is concerned. You failed egregiously
in the matter of our club letter. Why in the world
didn't you write? Have yQu had a tumble from your
high horse and are ashamed to let us know it?

Don't be a chump, Don; we all take headers occa-
sionally; and besides I've seen something of your
brilliant efforts as chronicled in the daily press. You
apparently have held your own in spite of squalls and
tempests, but I've had to trim my sails a trifle to
make use of the favoring winds that came my way.
So if we should run across each other you would see
me submitting to the atrocities of civilization — such
as a "biled" shirt and collar, all because Vanity Fair
approves of such absurdities.

As you neglected to let me know where our circu-
lar letter would reach you, it is probable that you
know very little about the rest of the thirteen.

Olive made a brilliant match the following win-
ter after graduation and now queens it among the
four hundred.

Helen has a promising future, not only because
of her personal beauty, but owing to her voice, which
is proving, under cultivation^ to be of the finest qual-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 31

ity. Before long I expect we will be receiving com-
plimentary tickets to the opera to witness her tri-
umphs.

That man Hilman, though an ideal "catch/' has
somehow escaped the snares laid by devoted mammas
and is still a bachelor of great popularity. I begin to
realize that I misjudged him entirely while in college.
Instead of the trifier I thought him, there is really
originality and strength beneath the veneer of friv-
olous cynicism.

He has great application, too, though you'd never
imagine it to see him sauntering through a ballroom
enveloped in his blase air, which I feel quite sure is
assumed as a protection amidst the artificialities of
society.

You'd laugh to see me going through the tortures
of a reception or an "evening at home."

But it is all done from policy — a mere matter of
business, you know, to keep in good standing with my
patients.

Have you heard anything as to Elizabeth? Noth-
ing of interest has come my way. She is still at her
home in New England, I surmise, going on as usual in
the even tenor of her way.

She impressed me in college as a little too good
for this workaday world; and yet there were indi-
cations occasionally of a strong personality which
made me wonder what would have been the result if
she had grown up in a different environment from
that of her honie,

32 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

Now, Don, do write me a line to stir me from the
time-serving state in which I am fallen. When I con-
trast my ideals of college days, or even my present
inmost convictions regarding the proper use of life,
with my everyday work amongst the most artificial of
people, I feel like a sham and a failure. Instead of
working heart and soul to change our present system,
I am in a way maintaining it, just as truly as lawyers
and clergymen who fatten on the system (though not
many of the clergy are overburdened with blood-
money).

It's a humiliating thought, and I despise myself
when I stop to think that I minister to the bodily
woes of those whose troubles are due to the fact that
they have never done a stroke of honest productive
work in their lives.

Yet one must have bread, and when there is a wife
depending on you for support it complicates things.

A glimpse of two faces in a ballroom mirror
brought up such thoughts afresh. It so happened that
I saw both Hilman's and my own at a glance, and the
utter lack of all expression in both faces startled me.

Truly this life is deadening!

Yet to-morrow I shall be at it again, and for what?
That filthy lucre which men have agreed to value.

The cock crows and I must turn in. Again I say,
write, if only to assure me that you don't quite de-
spair of a double-minded man who knows only too
well that he is unstable in all his ways. Yours fra-
ternally, James Wilson.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 33

Hilman to the Doctor:

New York, Feb. — , 1886.
Dear Old Humbug:

Who would imagine, seeing vou bending the knee
to idle aristocrats, that you ever regaled your class-
mates in college with dissertations on socialism, an-
archy and the like! How are the mighty fallen! And
Fm truly sorry, for although I never cared twopence
for your hobbies I hate to see a man give the lie to
his belief the way you have. Possibly you think I
have no right to throw stones at you, but then, you
know, I never professed a belief in human nature, as
you were so fond of doing, and have seemingly drifted
with the tide, having been born into this circle of
paupers. But you! Why, you might have kept free
from such a Dance of Death and dedicated your life
to the bringing in of a better day! Are you as happy
to-day, even though you are a successful physician, as
you were the day you graduated? I frankly confess
I'm not. Fve tried to play the role that seemed to be
expected of me in society, but it bores me to death,
and henceforth Fll be a free man. I've signed my
Declaration of Independence and from now on I'm
going to give my whole time and attention to the one
thing that really interests me. I should have died
of ennui ere this if it had not been for my hobby, and
when you want a change come up to my snug bachelor
apartments and you may see some scientific experi-
ments of interest. Fve a great scheme on hand. It
came to me like a flash in the middle of the night

34- THE PURE CAUSEWAY

years ago, and I'll carry it through if it takes all my
shekels and the rest of my life.

Come soon, old boy, and give me a glimpse of the
crank of Auld Lang Syne.

Have you really succumbed at heart to the magic
of the Almighty Dollar or are you wearing the
shackles of a rotten society only for a time?

What do you think of the latest in regard to Olive?
Her reign was a short one. But that cad of a hus-
band is small loss and if there can be enough saved
from the wreck to support her and the children it may
be a gain after all. In the hopes of seeing yOu soon,
yours, C. A. Hilman.

Extracts from Elizabeth's letter to Olive:

Pine Centre, K H.
My Dear Friend Olive:

How my heart aches for you! Yet it has taken
me all this time to make up my mind to attempt a
letter to you. How much better if we could only talk
instead of having to write! And that is the real rea-
son I have for writing, for I want you to invite me to
come to you. I'm sure I can help you to straighten
things out and start afresh, and I am especially eager
to do so, as there are now no home ties to keep me.
You know my immediate family was never large, and
since graduation the two remaining ones have been
taken from me.

I do not see how I could have endured the last few

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 35

years if I had not had faith in the One who "doeth all
things well."

Now do say "yes" to my proposition, for we need
each other, and so I await your answer in the hopes
that yon will tell me to come. Very lovingly, your
friend, Elizabeth.

To fill in the blanks somewhat I will explain that
Olive's husband lost almost everything in speculation,
dying a few days afterward from the shock, and leav-
ing Olive in very straitened circumstances. It was a
hard experience for the poor girl and for awhile it
seemed likely to embitter her life. Accustomed as
she had always been to homage and flattery, she could
not adjust herself immediately to the new situation.
Her society friends dropped away, and, having lost
her nearest relatives early in life, she had no one to
aid her except Elizabeth, who rose to the occasion
with wonderful tact and ability.

It was at this period that I began to see how little
I had appreciated Elizabeth while at college. She
had always impressed me as a girl of good parts,
spoiled by too much religion. She always irritated
me, for I couldn't quite believe in her apparent love
for church life. There seemed to be a genuine fire in
her which was smothered by pietism. We weren't
the best of friends, for I never could refrain from
twitting her, even going so far as to urge her to dis-
pense with her mask of religiousness and be herself.

Of course it only had the effect of widening the

36 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

breach between us; for she couldn't see any better
than most church-goers that her beliefs were mainly
inherited ones, instead of being the result of courage-
ous and independent thought on her part. However,
maybe such second-hand ideas do more good than I
used to imagine.

But to return to the time of Olive's trouble.
Shortly after her husband's death Elizabeth rented a
small flat for them both, with the object of forming
a home center in the poorer part of the city, not only
for Olive and the children but for the needy ones
around her.

Don Quixote, as we had always called him, or
Thomas Cornelson, as his parents had named him,
was in the thick^of the fight all these years.

His parents had come from the self-respecting
plain people, but at the time of Don's birth they were
far down the scale in the great army of toilers who
earn a precarious living and are obliged to live amid
sights and sounds which tend toward degradation.

Inheriting from his parents great physical
strength, a clear intellect, and an indomitable will,
he entered the arena of life at a great advantage over
the majority in similar conditions.

He attended night school for years and gradually
worked his way up, so that, having won the good will
of his last employer, he was enabled to enter college,
though not till \\e was some years older than most of
us.' He appreciated his privileges and worked with a
will. But though in every way fitted to attain high

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 37

standing, he passed by the allurements of scholar-
ships, prizes, etc., in order to give his whole time to
preparing for his future work.

In a word, a great life-work was calling him and
he could not stoop to the usual ambitions of mankind.

Accustomed as he was to attend the debating so-
cieties, he rarely took part, though I always wondered
at the intensity of feeling in his face and the passion
in his voice when he did favor us with a speech.

He was alive and we were not; that was the differ-
ence. Still we could not understand why one who
was a born orator should care so little about using
his power.

It was probably just because he knew he did not
need the practice, and so he bent all his energies to
acquiring facts — col'd, hard facts of human life, of
industry, of law, of anything that would aid him in
his efforts to fit himself as the champion of the down-
trodden masses.

During the years between our graduation and re-
union he was developing wonderfully and soon his
name appeared in connection with the Labor Move-
ment, and he beeame a power in the cause.

As for the rest of our circle of thirteen, there had
been the usual amount of successes and disappoint-
ments that fall to the lot of man. Wentworth, after
various ups and downs, had increased his original
fortune through Wall Street manipulations, so that he
was at the time of our reunion in that most dangerous
of positions — falsely called perfect independence. I

38 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

never understood him well, for he was a curious mix-
ture of recklessness and caution, frankness and re-
serve, which made him difficult to read.

Grey had entered the ministry and we knew very
little about him personally, though he stood high in
his profession.

He had never been a favorite among us, owing to
his tinge of ecclesiasticism, which repels most healthy
young people.

Florence and Louise had made little stir in the
world, and Winter and Stafford had both followed
occupations as most young men do, in which they had
no real interest but in order to "make a living/' as
the world calls it — though it's at best only an exist-
ence.

As the date for our reunion drew near we each
received an invitation from Hilman to meet at his
rooms in New York.

His note was puzzling, for, while his former cyni-
cism appeared, there was an imperiousness in the note
as a whole which belied the trifling words. Our curi-
osity was aroused and we all responded in person.

He received us with his customary grace and we
were soon at ease, despite the first feeling of strange-
ness which is bound to creep in after years of separa-
tion. Jim, the last but one to arrive, rejoiced that
Stafford, as of old, had saved him from bringing up
the rear, and when that laggard appeared we all broke
out spontaneously with the college yell.

For a short time it seemed as if the good old days

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 39

had returned, for we were all anxious to appear at
our best and threw ourselves into the fun of the hour
as if Father Time had made the sun stand still not
for hours but years.

Jim's inimitable laugh and roguLh face added to
the illusion, and had it not been for Hilman, the arch-
enemy of our peace, we probably would have suc-
ceeding in deceiving each other, as most people do,
and would Lave separated in the belief that we were
each and all satisfied with life.

But this was not to be, and when refreshments
were announced we walked out unsuspectingly to
our fate.

Even during the usual repartee and fun incident
to seating ourselves at the tabb nothing seemed to
sound quite right. And almost immediately we real-
ized that the words we spoke were only so much
sound, verily but a gibbering speech, for the only
things that really impressed us were the innermost
thoughts of one and all.

Instantly the gay conversation was followed by a
silence which not only might be but was felt by all.

The expressions of the faces were enough to kill
any attempt at pretense — dismay, fear, anger and hor-
ror reigned in conjunction.

The overwhelming knowledge that we stood re-
vealed in each other's sight savored of the Judgment
Day, and we gazed at each other appalled.

The silence was broken at last by Hilman as he

40 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

asked: "Well, what do you think of it, my bonnie
friends?"

"Explain it, man! Don't trifle with us," said Don.
"Are we dreaming or stark mad? Speak!"

"With all my heart," replied Hilman, around
whose mouth a curious smile was playing. "While
the rest of you have been skimming along on the sur-
face of things I have had the good fortune to find an
entrance into the mysteries of life.

"In college you thought me a trifler who ignored
the serious side of life; yet even there I was getting a
good start in the scientific studies "which have fasci-
nated me ever since. It would be impossible here to
explain in detail the researches I have made or the re-
sults attained. Suffice it to say that, being convinced
of the great wonderland of mysteries lying all around
us in the spiritual realm, I determined that if time,
patience and scientific knowledge, backed by money,
would make it possible to discover the key to the
psychical world, it should be done.

"For the last few years I have studied, early and
late, into any branch of knowledge that might aid
me, and I have discovered a secret akin to the rays
which reveal the hidden things of the physical body,
so that now the inner life of the mind may be known.

"The spiritual forces need certain conditions in
order to be made manifest to us, just as in the physical
world, so-called, the electrical forces, though always
operative, need to be revealed to the sons of men.

"Through the use of this harmless-looking instru-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 41

ment," holding up a small article, "it is possible to
enter and read the secrets of the mind, and all that
remains for us to do now is to start on our voyage of
discovery and learn to know what is in man."

"But man alive," broke in Wentworth, "this is un-
canny! You are a veritable wizard, a dealer in the
dark arts! How dare you tamper with such mys-
teries?"

"That's it exactly — I dare anything rather than
dwindle down into a mere nonentity. No, sir, it's not
the researches into the hidden that menace our safety
and peace — rather is it the persistent ignoring of the
mysteries, the desire to live at ease on the surface of
things, oblivious of the truths that press in upon us
from all sides.

"The man or woman who plays the part of a but-
terfly or mere machine is the real foe of humanity.
An honest endeavor to know the mysteries of the life
surrounding us is the first step toward an emanci-
pated life."

We were amazed beyond measure to see Hilman in
his true light and the revelation of his earnestness
was almost as bewildering as was his wonderful dis-
covery and invention.

Olive, the first to recover from the surprise, ex-
claimed: "Is it possible that this is Hilman, the frir-
olous? The man is actually in earnest at last! Who
would ever have dreamed that he, of all men, could go
beneath the surface of things?"

"It's true, nevertheless, and I'll venture to say be-

42 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

fore we are done with this discovery of mine that
many other of our early estimates,, which we thought
quite true, will be reversed.

"And now to the point. This is my proposal: In
view of the great revelation, possible because of this
key to the mind, I want the co-operation of each and
all of you in examining and recording the real phe-
nomena of life.

"Will you all join me in the study of man?"

A silence followed, each waiting for another to
take the initiative.

"What! Are you all afraid to venture into the Un-
known Country lying so near us? What do you say
to it, Elizabeth? Any one could see from your face,
even if your mind were hidden, that you are more
and more puzzled by the problems of life and are grad-
ually finding out that it is not the simple affair of 'Be
good and you'll be happy' which you once thought it.
But enough of this experiment for the present. Let's
adjourn to the next room, where we can talk under
cover, as it were — the humiliating exposures not being
possible there."

Before he had finished we had all reached the safe
retreat of the reception room in undignified haste, and
the feeling of relief at being once more protected from
our friends was indescribable!

Then followed an, animated discussion as to the
advisability of undertaking this voyage of discovery,
not to unknown continents or planets, but to the most
interesting of all realms — the mind of man.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 43

Some were influenced by curiosity to urge the ex-
periment; others wished to use this key in enlarging
their knowledge of man in order to serve the race, and
only three opposed the idea — Helen, Stafford and
Winter.

Hilman urged us to agree to his suggestion, saying
that we represented many interests of life and with
little trouble could study a number of phases of the
curious animal, man, adding: "During the last few
years, in which I have lived as a free man, using only
what I needed instead of what society would have dic-
tated, my large income has rolled up amazingly, and
that shall be used to defray all expenses incident to
our test. Those who are willing to give their whole
time to it can thus be freed from anxiety and go on
their way unhampered.

"How different history would read if we could
each pursue noble and useful work freed from anxiety
about our support!"

"Hurrah for the socialist! I knew you'd ccme to
it in time," cried Doc. "My arguments have had
some effect after all !"

"Don't flatter yourself, Jim. To convert a think-
ing man you'd have to cease thriving on Plutocracv,
as you've done for the last ten years. You who criti-
cise church members for inconsistencies had better
beware how you preaeh one thing and live another."
This from Elizabeth, with flashing eyes.

"But," he remonstrated, "don't you see that we've

44 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

got to educate people up to socialistic ideas before
they can be put into practice?

"It would be idiotic for one man, under our pres-
ent conditions, to attempt a socialistic mode of life.
Besides, one man here and there cannot adopt a so-
cialistic programme, for a body of men is absolutely
necessary to socialism/'

"Exactly. That is the reason why men can truth-
fully claim that Christianity has never been tried, for
a body of men and women is needed before it can be
•attempted. So don't ever again let me hear you ac-
cusing church members of insincerity — you who are
in the same predicament!"

A storm seemed brewing, which Hilman dispelled
by saying: "Don't let's waste time in arguments
which never convince. But I must protest, Jim,
against being called a socialist, for the minute a man
dubs himself by any party name he immediately takes
sides against all other parties and so shuts his eyes to
the good that is in them.

"But to return to the matter in hand. I see you
are all willing now to join with me in the work, and
so I would suggest that each one try to search into the
inner life of whatever sphere you have been most fa-
miliar with superficially, unless from a strong interest
some are drawn to look into other walks of life."

After a little more discussion as to details and a
thorough explanation as to the use of the test, we
separated, promising to meet a year from our reunion,
ready to divulge all our discoveries.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 45

While acting as Elizabeth's escort home that even-
ing I persisted in my former unfortunate habit of call-
ing her to account, for in speaking of our pomise to
Hilman I said:

"I suppose you'll choose as your sphere the ex-
clusive club known popularly as the church?"

"Certainly," she replied, "for that is not only the
life I have been most in touch with, but it is also that
which interests me most."

"Elizabeth, why is it that you shut your eyes to
the real state of things, admiring that which is a
make-believe, and burying yourself in such futile
work as the church is doing, when you might be a real
power if you'd only be yourself, freed from ecclesiasti-
cism?"

"For a genuine student to plunge recklessly into a
subject of which he knows nothing is truly amazing!"
she retorted. "I'll venture to say that you haven't
been inside of a church three times this year. And
even if you had gone to every public service possible,
you would know about as much of the real church
work as I would of the progress made in entomology
should I spend my time examining bugs and beetles
at a museum. Your earnest work in such lines would
make you resent my idiotic attempts at information
and you'd tell me to put myself in touch with the live
workers."

"Well, even so," I replied, "for your own sake I
warn you not to probe into the inner church. Keep
that dear delusion to buoy you up through life. I

46 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

know more than you think I do of the church mili-
tant; enough, I assure you, to appreciate the fitness of
the name, for it is always fighting, the only trouble
being that it is generally internecine warfare."

With peculiar dignity Elizabeth ended the discus-
sion by saying: "Frank Martin, the church has been
a true friend to me when in sorrow and I cannot allow
you to talk that way, especially as Fm sure you get
your information at least second-hand. But before
we part let me congratulate you on your progress in
entomology. It is said we grow like our associates
and it is illustrated in your case, for since this even-
ing's experience I can truly say that you have become
a perfect fe^bear!" And with that parting shot and
a merry laugh she entered her home.

On musing over the events of the evening, while
smoking a cigar before the glowing coals, I could not
but realize the marked change which was apparent in
most of us. Helen, though beautiful, seemed heart-
less and altogether self-centered, Don careworn and
restless, and Jim — well, he certainly did not seem like
the hopeful, jolly boy we used to know. Olive and
Elizabeth had changed more than any of the rest of us
except Hilman, and, strange to say, seemed to have
exchanged places in our circle. We used to think
Olive was the strongest character among the girls,
but now she appears overwhelmed and restless, as
well she might, considering the hard experiences of
the past few years, while Elizabeth, who used to oc-
cupy an unimportant place among us, was the magnet

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 47

for all eyes this evening, and although she said little
her personality was felt by all.

She certainly is not the goody-goody little body
we used to know, yet her ideals seem higher than ever
and I must win her respect. Confound it! What
made me speak to her in the way I did to-night? I
seem bound to antagonize her, when I really want her
to think well of me. So it ended by my wasting the
midnight oil and much paper in an attempt at an
explanatory note, which, though unsatisfactory to me,
was mailed to her the next morning. As near as I
can recall, it ran like this:

Thursday Evening, June — , 1892.
My Dear Friend Elizabeth:

I feel sure you misunderstood me to-night. What
I said, in endeavoring to prevent your investigation of
church life, was due to my earnest desire to guard
you from an unnecessary shock.

Take the word of your senior, in experience as well
as years, that it does no good to know life in its reality.
We are happy only on the condition of keeping some
dear delusion all our lives.

I fear we were foolish to agree to Hilman's plan.
Before the year is out I prophesy that we will not have
the courage to face each other; for when we know hu-
man nature like a book we shall all be misanthropes.

So it seems wiser to me to continue in our chosen
work, you in the slums and I in the insect world,
rather than to rob ourselves of all hope and faith by

48 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

probing too deeply into that which for the most part
is "vanity of vanities." Be warned in time by one
who is truly your friend, Frank Martin.

Her answer, though not flattering, has been among
my treasures ever since:

Friday Evening, St., N. Y.

Dear Frank:

For the sake of Auld Lang Syne I'll take the
trouble to answer a man who knows little about
human life. How could you, indeed, absorbed as you
are in your study of diminutive creatures? I would
advise you to come out of your den, devote yourself
for awhile to the earnest study of the human animal
and leave the insects in undisturbed happiness for
awhile. If you should do so you might learn at least
one thing, which is that you can never "know human
nature like a book." For it grows, sir! Didn't you
know that the race is alive, and that because of life
and progress the facts in regard to man change, and
that "they must upward still and onward who would
keep abreast of Truth."

You speak of being misunderstood. Let me say-
that you certainly fail to understand me, for there is
something I fear much more than losing my faith in
the church, and that is that I may refuse to know the
truth.

In all kindness I want to say that I would prefer to
receive no more advice from a book-worm till the year

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 49

is ended, and by that time the worm may have devel-
oped some wings of faith that will prove a blessing to
mankind. Yours in the cause of a larger life,

Elizabeth Adams.

As my ambition had been and still was to make
a great name for myself in my particular line,
I did not care to spend much time in using the test,
and furthermore I was such a recluse and so little
in sympathy with my fellow-man that I made but
bungling work when I did attempt to examine his
inner life.

So my valueless report of my year's inspection
will not be inserted, for though at the time of our
meeting I considered my contribution of some ac-
count, I can see now that it is really worthless. De-
voted as I had been to my specialty, I had separated
myself too much from the common life to understand
in the least the crude beginnings of the ideal man
which were all around me.

When Hilman called us together at the end of the
year we were asked to meet at our old rendezvous of
college days, the beautiful spot by the lake.

We reached the hotel in the town the evening be-
fore, in order to have the whole of the following day
for our reports, and when we were assembled on the
lake shore we were all ready for the business of the
day.

In the beautiful environment of nature we prob-

50 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

ably spoke more freely than we could have done
amid the prejudicing influences of city life.

Hilman brought the meeting to order and called
upon Wentworth for the first report.

With real solemnity he began by quoting from
Sprague the sentiment: "God and history, ethics and
humanity, call just as loudly for industrial as for po-
litical democracy. No tyranny was ever more intol-
erable than the tyranny of private wealth."

"I can appreciate that last statement as never be-
fore, because of what I have seen during the last year.
And our well-known quotation from Livy that 'Avar-
ice and luxury have been the ruin of every great state'
ought to be a warning to America. You all know my
former predilection for Wall street operations, for I
used to spend my time in stock gahibling. And all
though my conscience occasionally troubled me, I was
able to quiet it, as we all can when we wish to. But
now that I have seen the inner life of the Street, I
will have nothing more to do with it except as an an-
tagonist, for it is nothing more nor less than traffick-
ing in blood! I have come to know the beast whose
lair is in Wall street and from this day forth I shall
fight Plutocracy with all my strength. Of course you
think it no use, but from my studv of the birth and
history of the monster I am hopeful as to its final con-
quest and death. Although at first a seemingly harm-
less creature, the offspring of the mental life of a few
gentlemen of the last century, it has fattened on the
best of the land till it has become the vampire of the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 51

American republic. When these gentlemen formed
the combination, in 1792, for the purchase and sale
of stocks, they instituted the most grossly cannibal-
istic system the world has yet seen. At first the beast
fattened on the blood sucked from the veins of the
republic; but, increasing in power, it now has the
nation by the throat and is sucking our heart's blood.
For is not money the circulatory system of our coun-
try? And must not anything which interrupts its
free action be a menace to our national life?

"The beast has produced offspring which, like
itself, have been reared on blood and will feed on
nothing else. You can see them any day in the Stock
Exchange — a brood of monstrosities, half man, half
beast.

"The Exchange is an excellent place to study the
species, but they often leave their lair and wander all
over our fair country in search of prey. The first day
I tried the test I could have sworn I was in Dante's
Inferno — such a seething, restless mass of evil spirits
surged around me. I was certainly in the place where
'their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched/
I saw the real creatures, instead of their masks of flesh
and bones, and though some were simply the personi-
fication of Dread, pursued as they were by the
fear of being outwitted and overcome by others of the
brood, there were more devilish monsters still, so
gorged with the blood of their human victims that all
semblance to mankind had disappeared, and they pro-

52 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

claimed their birth 'by going about seeking whom
they might devour/

"Their one desire in life was blood, and I was re-
minded of the old command: 'Ye shall not eat the
blood, for the life is in the blood/

"As long as the beast is allowed to subject all
things unto himself, having already reduced the legis-
lative and judiciary bodies, the press, the telegraph
and other organs of the body politic to submission,
we may expect to see less and less of real life mani-
fested in our republic.

"As for the free American people, they have long
since ceased to exist. We are a nation of slaves and
the auction block is in Wall street. Truly it is ap-
propriately called the stock exchange, for there the
blood of the live stock of the nation is gambled away,
it being easier to handle the condensed form of life
than the cattle themselves.

"Yes, indeed, we are but dumb driven cattle as long
as we allow such a state of things to continue. My
year's experience has seemed like an awful nightmare
and I often wonder if there is no way of arousing the
nation from its sleep of death.

"Chattel slavery was accomplished through the Ig-
norance and weakness of the enslaved ones. Our in-
dustrial slavery, on the other hand, has been the result
of free, intelligent Americans despising their birth-
right and selling it for a mess of pottage. We have
delegated our responsibilities as citizens to special-
ists, in order that we might give all our time and

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 53

thought to the amassing of wealth. Alas! as a nation
we have lost our wealth, it being in the hands of those
very specialists, and we have become their slaves!

"Many are despairing of ever again gaining their
freedom, so powerful has Plutocracy become, and I
can see but two ways of escape — either we will recover
our strength through the beast relaxing his grasp,
when in a stupor due to over-gluttony, or new life
must be inserted into the victim. Which, think you,
will it be?"

"Wonders will never cease!" exclaimed Hilman.
"Who would ever imagine that one of the very brood
so deservedly denounced could see himself as others
see him?"

"I can explain that very easily," replied Went-
worth. "I belonged to the class of beasts that still
bears a faint resemblance to man, and while there is
one spark of manhood left there is always hope of a
change for the better. But time flies. Who comes
next?"

"Come, Stafford; wre expect great light on the sub-
ject from you. Let's reap the benefit of your knowl-
edge and experience immediately, for in the good old
days you were the one who always 'knew it all/ " This
from the Doctor, who had always been addicted to
teasing.

"Well, now I call that pretty mean, raking up old
ashes," retorted Stafford. "Perhaps you are not
aware that most men learn, after escaping from the
abnormal atmosphere of our halls of learning, that

54 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

they really know nothing? If you haven't come to
that conclusion Pm ahead of you, though it took me
a year to reach that point.

"You'll all be surprised at the realm I chose to in-
vestigate. When Hilman advised us to choose that in
which we were the most interested I was decidedly
puzzled.

"After thinking over many different spheres of
life and finding that none of them really interested
me, I suddenly realized that the only thing that was
of vital interest to me was — myself! It was a humili-
ating disclosure, but I determined to be honest and
spend the year in studying that which appealed to me
the most. And I'd be willing to wager a good deal
that if the rest of you were sincere you would have
seen that the ego is the most interesting subject in the
universe.

"But the year is a wasted one. I've succeeded in
dispelling all my former allusions about myself, and
no others have appeared to take their place. Just as
sure as I thought I'd tracked myself to my lair, and
could proceed to examination, I found that it was but
a shadow, thrown by some near friend or acquaint-
ance. After fruitless endeavors at searching out my
thoughts, feelings and motives, I have come to one of
two conclusions — either I am so complex a creature,
so many-sided that only one little glimpse of me is
possible at one time, making any comprehensive
knowledge impossible, or else I have no real existence.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 55

"What I am pleased to call myself is but an im-
pression from others around me on a sensitive plate.
In one atmosphere I seem to he one person, and in a
different environment a totally different person, so
that what I really am, or am not, is beyond my ken/'

Elizabeth was about to speak, but became lost in
thought, and indeed we all felt that we were getting
beyond our depth. The silence was broken by Went-
worth, who remarked that the reflection theory
wouldn't work, for where would all the other people
get their personalities which make the impressions on
us?

Jim recalled the curious examples of men con-
fined for years in dungeons, losing all consciousness
of their own personalities, and Elizabeth completed
the thought by saying: "Then it would seem at least
that we need others around us in order to be anything
ourselves. Perhaps/' with a roguish look at me, "we
will find out some day that those who refuse to exist
as social beings, as parts of a whole, have no real ex-
istence."

"Thanks awfully — too good of you, I'm sure," I
replied, with a profound obeisance, "but Doc is ready
to break forth on this most unprofitable subject, so
let's turn his thoughts into another channel and call
for his report."

"Very well; 1*11 be glad to be through with it, for
it will prove far from pleasing, I'm sure, and you will
all regret having commissioned me to examine any
sphere of life.

56 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Fve heard such eulogies on the subject of our
nineteenth-century civilization that I determined to
put it to the test.

"In order to do that it was necessary to study not
only civilized man, so-called, but his savage brother:
and so I, for one, have dropped my former occupation
and have devoted my whole time to the work, travel-
ing through both civilized and uncivilized countries
in search of light. Of course it is hardly possible
now to find a spot unaffected by our modern life; but
Fve done the best I could and my honest opinion is
that the savage seems to be far happier than his civ-
ilized brother.

"Talk about the benefits of civilization — what are
they, I wonder? If our attention is not absorbed by
the things which are the product of a great material-
istic civilization, and we examine instead the result
as it is seen in man, we will be obliged to admit that
he is a much more burdened, careworn, distressed
animal than his brother in Darkest Africa.

"Of course the savage has fewer things, but he also
has fewer wants, and besides all else in a primitive
state he is free, while civilized man is a slave !"

"Careful, old boy," interrupted Winter; "don't
forget to except present company."

"No, sir, I refuse to do that to-day. For the last
ten years I've played the polite act and corked myself
up, keeping my convictions to myself. To-day FU
be a free man and say what I think.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 57

"Deny if you can that the negro in his native wilds
is more free than the time-server in our cities.

"In a primitive state, before the slave-trader ap-
pears— who, by the way, is of the civilized portion of
the world — each man has opportunity to supply his
simple wants, and time enough to enjoy life to the
height of his ability. But civilized man turns his
back on nature, peace, happiness, and builds atrocious
cities, where the soft earth, green grass and trees,
fresh air and glorious skies are supplanted by hard
pavements, stone walls, murky heavens and — slavery.

"In our modern cities the majority are over-
whelmed with anxiety for the morrow and have no
time to enjoy to-day. To look at the faces of the
mass of people in any city would convince us that
their lives are but wild endeavors after the unattain-
able.

"True, a few are in a position where they can have
the necessities of life, such as space, air, health, rest
and recreation, but they are so saturated by the false
ideals of civilization that they have no real enjoyment
of life, and the privileged classes (which means, I sup-
pose, those who are privileged to waste their substance
in riotous living and oppress the under dog) are
haunted by the fear of loss of wealth, which loss
would virtually kill them.

"I know you will all say that the savage is igno-
rant, depraved and limited in every way; but I contend
that, his wants being few, and the power to supply
them being within his reach, he is far happier than

58 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the average modern man, whose wants are ever in-
creasing, while the growing power of the privileged
class is rendering it more and more difficult for him
to supply those wants.

"Surely the mere accumulation of tilings does not
minister to our real happiness; neither does our hud-
dling together in cities where everything is a menace
to simple natural living.

"And if you point to our advancement in knowl-
edge and morals I would ask, what does it amount to,
if for the majority of men fear is their constant com-
panion and grinding toil their heritage?

"The civilized nations to-day are conducting their
national, state and municipal affairs as if honesty, vir-
tue and truth were myths.

"We speak of the Christian nations, but which
are they, forsooth? Surely not those whose very
foundation is war — and war to the death!

"Well has Carlyle hinted at the prevalence of war-
fare in our modern industrial life: '0 sumptuous
merchant-prince, illustrious ^ame-preserving duke, is
there no way of killing thy brother but Cain's rude
way?'

"We exalt our system of competition and claim
that it makes for progress. But let us call it by its
real name and see how the element of war permeates
our whole life, social, industrial, political, as well as
the life of nations.

"The war between nations has always been more

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 59

or less apparent, but it is not so easy to see that the
national warfare exists because of the industrial.

"We have agreed to conduct everything on the
principle of profit-making; hence rival firms must
find a market for cheap goods, made by the cheapest
labor, and 'as nations under our present system are
driven to compete with one another for the markets of
the world, and as firms or captains of industry have
to scramble for their share of the profits, so also have
the laborers to compete with each other — for a liveli-
hood; and it is this constant competition or war
among them which enables the profit-grinders to
make their profits, and by means of the wealth so
acquired to take all the executive power of the coun-
try into their hands.'

"We are continually reminded that our laws are
not made for the protection of man. Property is of
far greater value in the eyes of modern nations, and
he who calmly declared that 'men are cheaper than
shingles' knew that he was but voicing the sentiment
of the powers that be.

"Instead of the former creed, 'The black man has
no rights which the white man is bound to respect/
the present one, due to our vaunted profit-making
system, is 'The wage-earner has no rights which the
capitalist is bound to respect.'

"And to-day the money kings are playing the part
of the robber barons of old with much more disastrous
effect. They seize the land, the mines, the industries
and even the press and pulpit, and not only oppress

60 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the poor but blind them to their real condition, hold-
ing out the hope that they, too, may by extra toil and
frugality reach the point where they can oppress in
their turn.

"The revelations of the inner life of the business
world are appalling — anxiety, doubt, fear and weari-
some work continued far beyond the strength of the
physical man, reduce him to a bundle of nerves, capa-
ble of any course to save himself and family from
financial wreck.

"The mental life, bordering as it often does on the
insane, is at best devoid of wide sympathies or high
ideals, and where are the qualities in the modern busi-
ness man which a Christian nation should cultivate
in her citizens?

"What have gentleness, meekness, forbearance,
temperance, faith and love to do with the business life
of a Christian nation?

"The fruits of our competitive system are being
seen on all sides among both rich and poor, for we are
all tainted by it. Hatred, strife, jealousy, fear, deceit
and death will reign as long as civilized man keeps to
his present course.

"Everywhere you see men and women approach-
ing either the brute or the machine, bereft of physical,
mental and moral strength; and, what is far worse, the
children are born into poverty, amid evil surround-
ings, which must tend toward a lower type of man.

"And as for our social life, even without the aid
of Hilman's test, you have but to listen to the harsh

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 61

h

criticisms, the evidences of pride of heart, and note
the jealousies, to know that it does not add anything
to man's real happiness or advancement.

"All of us are filled with a desire to outdo or out-
shine our neighbors.

"Tell me, friends, which do you really think rep-
resents the larger proportion of free men — civiliza-
tion or savagery?

"Originally man only suffered from spasmodic and
individual oppression. Here we submit to an organ-
ized and continual grinding of the faces of the poor."

"Doc," drawled Stafford, "I should think you'd
get a feather or two and some beads and migrate to
Patagonia; then according to your conclusion you'd
be steeped in bliss."

"The trouble is that civilized man cannot go back
to a primitive state, but I see no light ahead of us.
The forces of evil are gathering for a terrific battle.
The whole social fabric is permeated with immorality
and corruption, based as it is on the competitive prin-
ciple which results in the death of all the highest and
noblest qualities in man. Progress indeed! Prog-
ress toward disintegration and degradation, I'll ad-
mit."

"But, Jim, surely you can see other forces at work
besides the destructive ones? Even the force that
holds the stars in their places suggests co-operation,"
said Elizabeth.

"Oh, yes; I grant that the physical world is elo-
quent with lessons in law and order.

62 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"But man thinks to improve on nature and so
organizes society on destructive principles. It's
strange that he will deign to run his garden on the
opposite plan. If he were consistent in his belief that
the war of good and bad results in the survival of the
best (which is what is generally meant by the survival
of the fittest) he would throw his garden seeds into
the soil and leave all to grow as best they could —
weeds as well as the useful plants — and receive what-
ever- harvest was his with a thankful heart. He
would comfort himself with the thought that 'you
can't go against nature/ "

"Go it> old boy/' exclaimed Hilman; "now Eichard .
is himself again!" as Doc's voice rose to the high
pitch, always indicative in him of excitement.

"'Yes, you say 'the fittest survive/ implying that
none of the rest have any right to cumber the ground.
But man's heart is wiser than his head and so he
erects buildings for the care of the blind, deaf and
dumb, feeble-minded and diseased, and even approves
of reformatories, missions, social settlements and the ■
like. In a word, he aims at the survival of the unfit.
To one who exalts competition I'd say be consistent,
burn all these institutions, wipe from the statute
books the few laws which in any measure restrain
greed and cunning, let selfishness, covetousness and
force have full sway, and take what comes — for 'the
fittest survive/ you know.

"But we all know very well that the only thing
that makes life worth living is the infinitesimal

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 63

amount of co-operation that is at work. For what is
it in family life that makes it endurable, in both senses
of the word? Co-operation, of course; for wherever
competition reigns the family life ceases to exist. And
the human race is but a large family. Yet we attrib-
ute our progress to the very principle which is death
to the individual families. But if our socialistic in-
stitutions, such as the postoffice and fire departments,
water works, parks, hospitals, libraries and schools,
were wiped out of existence what a cry would go up
from the devotees of competition!

"If it were not too sad for tears it would be funny
to see what fools these mortals be.

"The exasperating part of it is that our present
predicament is so unnecessary.

"We allow the state to give away valuable fran-
chises and lands, to private individuals for private
profit, and tremble at the idea of the state holding
them for the benefit of society, which alone makes
them valuable.

"We shrink from trying a new experiment in gov-
ernment and persist instead in our present methods,
which produce more criminals and slaves than any-
thing else.

"Selfishness and ignorance are the only obstacles
to our emancipation; but how are they to be overcome
when, if the present tendency continues, the mass of
men will soon be so crushed by our industrial slavery,
which degrades and dwarfs both intellect and will,
that they will have neither the knowledge nor power

64 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

to free themselves? And as for selfishness, what can
overcome that arch-enemy of the' race?"

"Then you do not admit that it has been overcome
to any degree as yet?" queried Elizabeth. "You
must surely see that some force is lifting the race to
higher and higher standards. What was approved of
among the highest classes once is regarded as a crime
now.

"Your pessimistic spirit surprises me, Jim. You
are virtually saying there is no hope, and that, too,
right in the face of great progress. You remind me
of those discouraged people who say whenever an ad-
vance is proposed along any line: 'It can't be done/

"But cheer up, Jim, and believe that it is always
the impossible that is being don°.

"After each new step forward the dead wood in
human forms gets into the cars, that 'never would
run/ or uses the Atlantic cable, that 'never would
succeed/ or imbibes a whiff of the Spirit 'which
doesn't exist/ and yet at the next vision of progress is
at its old game again of opposing it on the ground of
the impossible."

"Well, perhaps I ought to plead guilty of a doubt-
ing spirit," answered Doc, "but after witnessing the
reign of selfishness in the heart of the race I see no
hope for the future. It is an appalling sight to see
Labor crushed beneath the unbearable load she is
carrying; for it is the honest workers who produce all
the wealth in the world, and as a reward they are
taxed to support the paupers, both rich and poor, who

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 65

produce nothing, the criminals, the incapacitated and
the soldiery, who may at any time be employed by the
rich to kill them if they attempt to rebel. Every
year that we continue our present system the load be-
comes heavier and the victim weaker, and where shall
we look for help ?"

"I do not wonder you are despondent, Jim/' Don
replied, "f or with all your study of humanity you have
failed to apprehend the most important element of
life."

"And what is that, pray tell?"

"Wait! It's not my turn yet. Don't you think
we should hear from one of the ladies now, Hilman?"

"Yes, indeed! Louise, suppose you give us the
results of your observations."

"I have spent the year," began Louise, "in trying
to learn of the inner life of the home, for that surely
must be the secret of much that grieves and puzzles
us in the larger family of the race. And I do not so
much wonder now at a criticism of our women, made
by a foreigner of note, which was to the effect that 'all
that the American girl wants to do is to live in a
boarding house and wear spectacles/ which may be
one way of saying that our strongest desire is to be
relieved of all home duties and work for our own
notoriety.

"To simplify matters I have tried to classify the
phenomena of home life and include the most no-
ticeable ones under the four different homes which
seem to me typical of the majority in our republic.

66 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

The first is that of a family inhabiting a lordly man-
sion, furnished in princely style and situated in the
fashionable part of a great city. The members of
this household were in what is called independent cir-
cumstances, though they are really the most depend-
ent creatures of all the educated classes. Possessing
money enough to develop themselves along any line
whatever, they were instead busying themselves at
cutting a figure, and their mental life, with its petty
jealousies, low aims and distorted views, was pitiable
in the extreme. You might have expected that peo-
ple who were freed from anxiety about their bread
and butter would turn their attention to some useful
work, instead of bending all their energies to the ac-
quisition of tilings and posing for effect. But they
were instead busy from morn to night doing just what
Adam and Eve did after choosing to live for pleasure,
the only difference being that, instead of the original
fig leaves, they have chosen to hide behind more mod-
ern coverings, ranging from houses and clothes to man-
nerisms and second-hand thoughts. But then it is
so with most of the race, for man is always trying to
blind God, his brothers and himself to his real condi-
tion and to that end develops an artificial and com-
plex civilization.

"The one thing we are afraid of is that we may be
seen in our nakedness of thought and purpose, and be-
cause we know our souls to be puny we hide behind
artificialities in the shape of habits of dress, thoughts
and feelings and label the result 'Man/

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 67

"The people in this house (I dare not call it a
home) were dwarfs, though to the eye of society they
seemed veritable giants. What little real life they
had was choked with things and smothered almost to
the point of extinction by the artificial atmosphere
they breathed.

"The household goddess was Mrs. Grundv and
they burned incense faithfully at her shrine.

"The second home was that of a salaried man. It
soon revealed itself to me as a battle-ground.
Thoughts and ambitions of great diversity were con-
tinually fighting for supremacy — the world contend-
ing with the faint stirrings toward a higher life.

"The father, in his efforts to make his family ap-
pear as well-to-do as richer ones, was fast becoming a
money-making machine.

"The mother had been a young woman eager to
follow the Lord, but, marrying according to the stand-
ard of the world, and finding her time fully occupi
with the aims and ambitions of those around her, she
had finally settled down into her groove of life, com-
forting herself as best she could with the thought that
probably God had not intended her to be free to serve
Him as others did. And yet her better self would not
die entirely, and so her life was a continual warfare,
which rendered her a most unhappy member of the
home.

"Of course the children were affected by this at-
mosphere and followed their parents in trying to serve
God and Mammon.

68 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

ar

'The result was unhealthy bodies, strained
nerves, a lack of equilibrium, and the natural sequence
of hasty words, bickerings and strife.

"It was an unbearable atmosphere and I hurried
back to my little nest among the hills and breathed
once more.

"My next visit took me to a home where the re-
fined and scholarly instincts of the family led me to
hope for a delightful visit, and to some extent I was
not disappointed.

"The father, being a man of simple tastes, schol-
arly pursuits and a kindly disposition, helped toward
the things that make for peace.

"And the children, born of love, inherited much
that tended toward higher life.

"But the poor mother! Yet why should I pity
her, when she had it in her power to escape from her
thraldom? She chose instead to follow in the beaten
track of custom. 'What will they think V was the
goad with which she urged herself on to fresh efforts
to accomplish that which society has agreed to call
proper. As a result they ate the food, wore the clothes
and did the things which are customary, regardless of
whether custom was making for righteousness or not.
Nay, even the devotions of that family were cut after
the approved style in the 'really best families/ And
so both by personal influence and by precept the chil-
dren were taught to feel that an offense against cus-
tom was more serious to them than an offense against
God.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 69

"It. never occurred to the mother that she might
free herself and children from such slavery and strive
after higher ideals in life and thought; and she did
not dream that in worshiping King Custom she was
forging chains for her children, for she had blinded
herself to that which the poet sees clearly:

" 'We are not free; doth Freedom, then, consist
In musing with our faces toward the Past,
While petty cares and crawling interests twist
Their spider-threads about us, which at last
Grow strong as iron chains, to cramp and bind
In formal narrowness heart, soul and mind?
Freedom is re-created year by year
In hearts wide open on the Godward side.*

"One more type of home and I am done. This
one represents by far the greater number of homes in
America, for the mass of men now live in cities, and
though in the better sections of our modern centers
some degree of comfort still exists, the majority of our
brothers are deprived of the barest necessities for more
than mere existence — such, for instance, as the light
of the health-giving sun, space, proper food, sanita-
tion and clothing, and last, but by no means least,
ennobling work and sufficient rest.

"Over a stable in the rear of a tenement I found
three small rooms, inhabited by a man, his wife and
three children.

"Both parents were honest, capable people and
had received the usual common-school education.

"They had entered upon their married life in a
neat, tastily furnished home and with a snug little
bank account.

70 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"But soon sickness came and the enforced idleness
was followed by difficulty in getting work.

"The supply of labor is so much greater than the
demand that the husband's place had been filled by a
younger and stronger man; and he thenceforth be-
came a part of the vast army who are obliged to take
whatever comes to hand. In his anxiety lest his fam-
ily should suffer he gladly accepted the first oppor-
tunity that came, even though it put him for the time
in the ranks of unskilled labor.

"He was commended by the well-to-do as an ex-
ample of honesty and modesty; but the result was
hardly a compensation for the good opinion of such
people, for he was now unable to devote time to secur-
ing better work; nor would others aid him in this di-
rection because of the multitude in even worse condi-
tion than he. The consequence was that he dropped
permanently into the class of unskilled laborers, and
their fortunes went from bad to worse. When I
found them, years of hard, uninteresting toil, under
unsanitary conditions, had broken the health and spir-
its of both parents and they were barely able to keep
their heads above water, even in those cheap surround-
ings, where the sights, sounds and smells undermined
the physical, mental and moral life of the whole
family.

"And what, think you, was the predominating
feeling in that home, underlying all the sweetness of
an unusually loving family life? Bitter rebellion
against society, the world and God on the part of the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 71

father/ and in the mother's heart a fear of the future
which saps her strength unceasingly. She has small
hope, now that the physical strength of both husband
and wife is broken, that they can ever recover the lost
ground, and, if they continue to sink, before many
years they will be in the class of people who are said
to enjoy filth, crowding and starvation. The grand-
children of this man and wife will probably be looked
upon by respectable people — whatever that may mean
— as the scum of the earth.

"These, then, are the four types which I found in
my varied experiences of the year.

"If you ask me where is my account of the true
home, where there is no predominating influence in
favor of self-seeking and mammon worship, and
where the children are taught by example and precept
to make no compromise with the spirit of the w^orld,
I must honestly confess I have not found one such.
True, I saw many homes where the members thought
they were serving God with a whole heart; but as long
as our whole social fabric is based on selfishness that
is impossible."

An impressive silence followed the close of Louise's
report, broken by Stafford, who said, with a woe-
begone countenance: "Seems to me wre'd better give
up the game of life — it certainly isn't worth the
living."

"I deny that," protested Winter. "Knowledge is
one step toward a relief of the present awful condi-
tions, and the mere fact that many are becoming

72 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

ashamed of our communal sins is a promise of better
things to come."

"Then suppose you give us your report/' said Hil-
man, "and cheer us up a bit."

"All right, but the first impression will not be en-
couraging, for since we last met I've spent my time
in hell!"

"I protest," exclaimed Wentworth. "I was there
myself, in Wall street, and we did not meet!"

"Nevertheless, I repeat, I've been in hell, whether
in a lower depth than you it matters not.

"The circle in which I spent most of my time goes
by the polite name of Congress; but of all the fiends
that curse this earth the spirits that haunt those noble
halls are the most devilish. For what greater evi-
dence of deviltry can there be than to spend all one's
time and energy in using the God-given functions of
government in order to pass laws which will rob the
masses of their birthright and reduce them to
serfdom?"

"But I contend," broke in Wentworth, "that the
legislators are but the tools of the real fiends who
reign in Wall street."

"Well, possibly so; but remember you haven't seen
the reigning spirit in Congress and may not appreciate
it as well as I.

"And right here I want to state that even in those
shades of darkness there are some brave souls, whose
object is the service of mankind, and are in Congress
for the sole purpose of furthering their object by the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 73

enactment of just laws in the interests of all the
people.

"But what have they found on entering our legis-
lative halls? Confusion worse confounded, strife,
chaos and blackness of darkness!

"Here indeed anarchy has full sway; each is a law
unto himself, and the devil has them all, tooth and
nail, not simply the hindmost. For the reigning
spirit in these historic halls is the arch-fiend, whose
thought is well expressed in the words, 'Better to
reign in hell than serve in heaven' — and those whom
he cannot convert to his satanic standard he leads
astray and blinds, so that their work amounts to little.

"The only thing which prevents the prostrate
bodies of the American people from having the very
life crushed out of them by the Juggernaut of corrupt
legislation is the fact that each spirit in these shades
contends with all the others, hoping in time to reach
supreme power; so that, although for a time groups
form and work together, it is only as they find it to
their individual interests to do so, and of course the
constituency of the groups is constantly changing.

"Now it has been said that these imps of darkness
are not fairly representative of the American people.
I believe that they are, for the small proportion of men
who are earnestly trying to serve mankind in Congress
is to the fiendish bulk as the small, unselfish body of
men and women in our republic is to the mass of self-
seekers. For whether a man belong to the privileged
or oppressed classes, he is well represented here if his

74 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

desire in this world be to get ahead — peaceably if pos-
sible (for is not honesty the best policy?), but somehow
to get ahead of the rest.

"All who are trying to do the 'gainful thing in-
stead of the just thing' are of the generation of vipers
and are consequently in torment.

"When I first began my testing of the inner life of
Congress I was confused beyond measure, for such
wild excitement as prevailed in the minds of men ren-
dered it difficult for me to analyze them to any degree.

"But it occurred to me, in a lull of excitement,
when the fiends had retired to gather their forces for
the next battle, to glance over our Constitution, which
these creatures were ostensibly supporting.

"The preamble held me spellbound for a moment,
it smacked so of simplicity!

"Is it possible, thought I, that only a short time ago
men collectively could be actuated by such motives —
'to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, pro-
mote the general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and children'? While cogitating over the
discrepancy between the avowed purpose of the con-
stitution and the evident purpose of the warring in-
dividuals that make up the Congress of the United
States at present, an imp of darkness whispered in my
ear: 'Quite ideal, wasn't it? They ought to have
known it couldn't be done. The mass of men are
bound to be slaves to some aristocracy, either of blood
or money.'

"As he flew away his tail flicked my face, leaving

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 75

a sting behind it which intensified the pain of the
query. 'Is man then so base that he cannot keep his
freedom after having won it at great sacrifice? Was
the revolution a waste of precious blood?'

"To avoid the unpleasant train of thought I turned
once more to the constitution and read:

" 'No person shall be deprived of life^ lib-
erty or property ivitliout due process of law/

"What fiend, I wonder, was responsible for that
last phrase? There must have been some good reason
that led the framers of the constitution to agree to it,
yet why should law be perverted to such a purpose as
depriving men of liberty and life? The result is seen,
in a theoretically free country, to be the control of
the many by the few in order that they may be a law
unto themselves. Talk about labor-saving machines!
Where will you find a more perfect invention than our
present government for enriching the few at the ex-
pense of the many by the passing of laws which turn
the wealth produced by Labor into the pockets of the
idle plutocrats? Soon my attention was arrested by
another article: 'Xeither slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude, except as a punishment for crime shall

exist within the United States.'

"How foolish then for thousands of people to en-
dure the servitude of interminable working hours, for
which a mere pittance is paid, doing work under con-
ditions which sap the mental and physical life of the
laborers! In a glorious republic, founded expressly
that all may have a fair and equal chance in the pur-

76 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

suit of happiness, there can be only two conclusions in
regard to the great mass of men who are engaged in
unprofitable occupations, for which they receive only
enough for the most meager animal existence — either
they are of the criminal class or else they prefer that
sort of thing. That's it! Fve heard from many well-
to-do people that the common laborers like that sort
of thing and are not fitted to enjoy a higher style of
life. How fortunate for us, the people, who have more
refined tastes, that 'those people' like that sort of
thing! — by which we mean, of course, dirt, danger,
destitution, degradation.

"True, a larger and larger proportion of our serfs
are coming to the conclusion that they would rather
'starve idle than starve busy/ but with the constant
importations from other countries we still have enough
slaves to bear the heat and burden of the day.

"And as for the future complications, what do we,
the descendants of those 'who fought and bled in free-
dom's cause/ care what legacy we bequeath to our
children ?

"Just at this point my attention was drawn to three
uncanny shapes which seemed to dominate the assem-
bly. They each carried bags, in which was stored the
plunder of the last year. On one was written the
figures $14,850,000, on the second $24,000,000 and on
the third the stupendous sum of $71,659,000. It sud-
denly occurred to me that only the other day I had
read that these figures represented the profits of the
coffee, sugar and coal trusts, respectively.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 77

"Is it any wonder that political freedom counts for
so little when the kings of the industrial world con-
trol the laws?

"But what is that muffled cry and indistinct rus-
tling that I hear? Peering into the gloom which
abounds everywhere in these halls (for does not 'every
one that doeth evil hate the light'?), I discerned
shadow^y forms surging around these three powers of
darkness, as well as around their rivals.

"The forms were not tangible and at times I could
not apprehend them even with my test; but whenever
some question of vital importance to the democracy
was being mangled and strangled they would gather
in innumerable hosts at the center of the controversy
and besiege the fiends with cries unspeakable.

"On becoming somewhat accustomed to the lack of
light I was able to study more closely the characters
and purposes of the main actors in these legislative
halls, and I found that some were there in the interests
of the railroad kings, some for landlords, some for
bankers, brokers and so forth, some for oil, sugar, coal,
coffee and such things, but where was the representa-
tive who wras working successfully in the interests of
man? After nineteen centuries of light, is it possible
that we still consider things of greater worth than the
humanity which makes them? Those unhappy souls
who come to this mammon-worshiping place in the
hopes of speaking a word for humanity are so beridden
by hobbies, not to say lobbies, that their work is over-
come by evil and man is being left to his fate.

78 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"A ray of hope came to me as I noticed that the
framers of our Constitution agreed that 'Congress

shall make no law abridging the right of the

people peacefully to assemble and petition the govern-
ment for a redress of grievances'; and our forefathers
considered that whatever interfered with life, liberty
or the pursuit of happiness was a grievance. So they
state in words which a child may understand: 'When
any government becomes destructive of these ends, it
is the right of the people to alter and abolish it end to
institute a new government, laying its foundations on
such principles and organizing its powers in such form
as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety
and happiness.' Is it possible that such liberal,
courageous men have begotten such a timid progeny
as we, who dare not rebel at this rule of Plutocracy?

"After staying in this place till my very soul
seemed contaminated, I set forth to study the source
of our corrupt legislation, as I knew beyond a doubt
that those whom I had witnessed moving heaven and
earth in behalf of moneyed interests must receive their
instructions from some powerful source. Following
my cue, I went first to a conclave of manufacturers
who had met in Chicago to devise ways and means of
advancing their interests.

"It was a most proper assembly, the various mem-
bers being immaculately clothed and carrying them-
selves with dignity. Even the mental atmosphere
savored of alert though calm intelligence and clearness
of ideas. Yet there seemed a disturbing element,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 79

which at first puzzled me. While trying to analyze it
my attention was caught by the speaker, who was say-
ing: 'One question which will be presented for the con-
sideration of the manufacturers will be the appoint-
ment of a new cabinet officer, with the title of Minis-
ter of Commerce.'

"So, thought I, these men are planning to have the
aid of the cabinet, as well as that of the lobby, and my
thought seemed to be echoed by a great volume of pro-
testation.

"Once more I became aware of the phantoms, such
as had haunted the halls of Congress. As I studied
these inhuman creatures, impressed with the fact that
their bodies were emaciated to the last degree, while
their mouths gaped ravenously, Lincoln's words came
to mind: 'I hold it true that if the Almighty had cre-
ated a class of men whom he intended should do all
the work and none of the eating, he would have made
them all hands, without anv mouths/ But here in
the midst of this well-fed gathering were abject crea-
tures, haggard, gaunt and wild-eyed, whose mouths
were so wide open that the entire ventral cavity was
easily seen to be empty, swept though not garnished.

"I wondered whether these poor creatures were
able to make their presence felt by the sleek and pros-
perous men in council assembled. Judging from the
self-satisfied, complacent atmosphere in the manufac-
turers' minds, they were unresponsive to the wails of
the besieging army.

80 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"But what is the speaker saying that so excites the
shadowy ones?

cc <The time has come when the manufacturers of
the United States should stand together for the de-
fense and promotion of their interests/

"Wail upon wail burst from the ghosts of Labor as
they tried to make the prosperous captains of industry
aware of their need of consideration. Later, when
another representative of the employing class voiced
the thought of all in it, saying, 'We want to be the
Government,' the cries of the real producers of wealth,
as they protested at class government, rose to such a
pitch of excitement that I left in haste, unable longer
to endure the sight of two worlds — the one so calm, so
complacent, so assured, the other so desperate and
hopeless!

"And wThy should I weary you with any further ac-
count of the meetings held for the advancement of the
moneyed interests of our fair country? Everywhere it
was the same story; men of privileged positions and
possessions planning for future benefits for themselves
through special legislation in their favor, everywhere
besieged by our enormous class of serfs, whose spirits
are always pleading for a hearing.

"Of course you all know that the men who take
part in these councils of war are among our most in-
fluential church members, and as such, subscribe to
creeds which exalt a God of justice, mercy and peace.
Yet, while theoretically worshiping Sacrificial Love,
in their hearts they believe that for this world at least

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 81

evil is more powerful than good; and so they continue
to uphold the evil principle of competition, and on
Sundays sing hymns in praise of the King of Peace.
Sprague reveals the inconsistency of the church when
he says: 'Competition is strife based on self-interest,
but Christianity says: "Let nothing be done through
strife." '

"Thinking that perhaps these honest men would
like to end their embarrassment of having to reconcile
their business methods with their creeds, and at the
same time escape from the class of men which Christ
denounced as hypocrites and vipers, I have three sug-
gestions as to creeds which Fm sure ought to suit
them.

"How would this do? We believe that whosoever
expects to enter business for the good of his weaker
brother is a fool. Or this: We believe that man is of
the devil, devilish, and that you can get him to work
and strive for progress only by appealing to the selfish
instincts in him, and that good men (if such there be)
are out of place in this world of competition, which al-
ways was and always will be the dominion of strife, lust
and chaos, forever. Amen.

"Those who prefer the time-honored form, though
not the original one, might prefer such a wording as
this:

"I believe in Selfishness, the king almighty, the
maker of position, special privilege and ease, the in-
centive to all work, ambition and progress; and in his
handmaiden, Money, who makes possible all the pleas-

82 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

ures of life; and, though a creature of comparative
youth, is nevertheless the bulwark of society, the re-
ward of virtue and the chief end of man.

"We praise thee, we slave for thee, we worship
thee, Selfishness, our king!

"Now, friends, the ray of hope which I can give
you springs from the fact that everywhere I have
seen evidences that society is coming to self-con-
sciousness and realizes faintly some of its besetting
sins. When we cease worshiping our constitution as
if it had dropped from heaven, instead of being the
product of fallible intellects stirred to attempt noble
ends, we will be in a position to do just what our fore-
fathers did when they boldly struck out for them-
selves in an attempt to try a new experiment in gov-
ernment.

"But if we do not profit by our past experiences
and see to it that ours shall be an industrial as well
as political democracy, our last state will be worse
than our first.

"I do not resent, as I did while in my former hide-
bound state, the declaration of one of our prophets
of justice, that 'our economic system is organized
social wrong/ and henceforth I can sympathize with
Lowell and say with him:

" 'The time is ripe, and rotten ripe for change;
Then let it come: I have no dead of what
Is called for by the instincts of mankind,
Nor think I that God's world will fall apart
Because we tear a parchment more or less.
Truth is eternal '

"Eeally, you surprise me, Winter; you who used to

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 83

be so cautious and conservative. How do you ac-
count for the change?" asked Don.

"No one could realize the real state of things and
not dare anything rather than to allow the present
system to run its course.

"I firmly believe there are few men base enough
to side in favor of competition if they could see things
as they are."

"All very good," said doubting Jim, "but that's
a very big 'if.' Come, Hilman, let's hear from Olive.
Judging from her face she has come to about the same
conclusion as I have."

"There you are mistaken, Mr. Cynic! I refuse to
be classed with the hopeless ones," retorted Olive.
"No matter what my face says — for it may not be read
aright by the blind (with a meaning glance at Jim) —
I am not discouraged, even though much perplexed.
A year ago I would have classed myself with those who
have no hope, but I'm thankful to say that life seems
much more inspiring than it did before I used the
test. For, though for the most part I have seen the
self-life enthroned in the hearts of men, there are
many brave souls whose earnest desire is to bring in
the reign of peace.

"It is impossible to do justice to my experiences
of the last year,, for it is such a personal matter to me,

84 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

as the various types of women, which I have reduced
to four, seem to represent me in different stages of my
existence.

"No, you tease (to Jim), that is not egotistical, for
the dreadful growing pains of the last few years have
helped me to realize that I am not in the class of
women in which I belonged originally.

"There are probably other types of women, yet it
seems as if all could be classed under one of these
groups. First comes the woman who is selfish to
the core, no matter how charming she may appear in
the eyes of the world. Her sole purpose in life is to
make a comfortable place for herself and then eat,
drink and be merry. With this object in view she
uses every possible means to make herself attractive,
that she may subject all to her sway, and so have her
pick of the softest nests in which to take her ease.

"She has no use for any person or thing that will
not serve her interests. When she marries it is for
the same reason that her less fortunate sister sells her
virtue; there is this difference, however, that the out-
cast, as we call her, is often driven to it by want, while
she who is approved of by society is actuated by a
desire for wealth, ease and position.

"The second type includes all those who are
thoughtlessly selfish. They are the ones who add to
the weight of human woe by never realizing their re-
sponsibility to the world. They take everything as
it comes, being content with pitying the unfortunates;
perhaps even wasting a few tears on special cases or

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 85

doing something for them when not too inconvenient.
Yet these women never think for themselves and go
on supporting our false ideals, white all the time it is
their privilege to fight valiantly for justice and judg-
ment which would make an unfortunate class impos-
sible.

"You all know the third type of woman, for she is
in every walk of life. She feels the tragedy of life and
grieves over its sin and suffering; yet because of her
conservatism, due to prejudice or cowardice, she fal-
ters and fails when confronted by her responsibilities
as a member of the social body. So she draws into her
shell, declaring that home is woman's sphere, over-
looking the fact that in order to guard and guide her
children she must do her part toward making the sur-
roundings of the home — the neighborhood, town, out-
lying districts and nation — such as will minister to
the good of her little ones. She throws all such re-
sponsibility on to man, ignoring the fact that 'God
made man, male and female/ But we are seeing
clearer every day that man has not made a great suc-
cess at his municipal, state and national housekeeping,
and no wonder! For the woman nature can and
ought to aid in the solution of public problems, for
she is a part of the public and ought to bear her share
of the burden. In order that her children may be
pure and strong and noble she must do all in her
power to make the conditions of life such as will make
it posssible for all children to develop nobly, for evil
existent anywhere reaches all to some degree, and

86 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

whether we will it or not, 'none liveth to himself and
if 'one member suffer all the members suffer' sooner or
later in our body politic.

"This third type of woman is not a power for good,
for, although she grieves over the sad state of things,
she cares more about being ladylike than the woman
God meant her to be, and therefore hers is a negative
influence.

"But, thank God, these three types do not consti-
tute the sum of womanhood, for there are many live,
brave, unselfish women, who, though faulty, are press-
ing toward the perfect ideal. You find them every-
where, as educators, social settlement wrorkers, women
suffragists, temperance workers, dress reformers, and,
best of all, in the homes. You see, Louise, Pve been
more fortunate than you, for I've found a few homes
where the influence is such as to develop the children
into servants of the race. If there were no such
homes the nation could not exist. These women, and
their brothers of like fiber, are the salt of the earth
and they are the most womanly of women. They
dare anything except to live for the low ambitions of
the majority of the race. Of course they make mis-
takes, but who does not? And so I say that as long
as such spirits exist we should never despair. This
study has been my greatest blessing, for it bids me
hope for the future and has carried me out of myself.
I used to think men were more interesting than
women, for I liked their dash and courage, but it was
because I knew no woman who was really alive. Par-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 87

don me, Elizabeth; I am speaking of college days and
even you were only half -alive then. And the more I
see of the world the more I am convinced that it takes
most of us twenty-five years to begin to live. Why
will mothers persist in treating their children as if
made of wood, to be carved and fashioned from the
outside, instead of allowing them to develop in a nat-
ural atmosphere of love and service?

"No wonder it took me so long to begin to grow,
for I was taught to think only of appearances and to
look out for number one.

"Friends, when you knew me in college you
thought me a delightful creature. I could see and
feel your admiration. But you were deceived by an
appearance, due to abounding physical life and spirits,
beneath which was a nonentity.

"Strange to say, even at that time I felt a lack in
myself which I mistook for a lack of things or oppor-
tunities. So I set myself to acquire the position
where all things would be mine, and you all know
somewhat of my foolish and thoughtless marriage.
It was wrong, of course. But in fairness to woman
let me say that if she were developed naturally and
taught to realize the solemnity and holiness of mar-
riage she would not think so lightly of her responsi-
bilities.

"When will we appreciate the absolute necessity
of a pure family life, and educate our children to that
end?

"Well, you can easily see that I have belonged in

88 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

turn to the first three classes of women; and if, as I
hope and pray, I am emerging from the third, it is all
due to the friend who rescued me from myself."

As she spoke she slipped her hand into Elizabeth's,
and, giving her a quick look, full of love, relapsed into
reverie as her glance rested on the distant shore.

What a picture the two women made! The one
so fair and winsome, with the light of the other world
in her eyes, yet so sweetly human withal; and the
other dark and restless, yet with strength and a noble
purpose speaking in her face, where eleven short years
ago you would have searched in vain for either. Olive
ha'd lost much of her youthful beauty, but Elizabeth,
on the other hand, in spite of sorrows and a busy life,
had gained in every way, her face appealing to us all
in its beauty of coloring and expression. I wondered
at that time over her wonderful personality, which
suggested life, joy, peace and energy all at once. It
savored of the rich, full, joyous life of natural things,
a swiftly flowing river, a strong, fresh breeze, or even
the joyous morning carol of birds, and we were all
better men and women for her presence — except, per-
haps, poor Helen.

Olive recalled us by saying: "Oh, if I could only
live my early life over differently! It seems too late to
do much now, though for the sake of my children,
who have really been motherlesss most of their lives,
Pll do my best to be a true woman!"

We were all conscious of being* in the same cate-
gory, having wasted much of our lives and opportuni-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 89

ties. Talk about the improvident and ignorant not
making use of theirs! Do any of us, Fd like to
know?

After a few moments of thoughtful silence Helen
broke the spell by saying:

"Well, Charles, if you have no objections I think
Fll respectfully withdraw, as there are more impor-
tant things claiming my time. I really can't see the
advantage of using your test, for it only shows us
what any child might learn — that we aren't good for
much and that life is just a scramble. It was no sur-
prise to me to find out that we are selfish mortals, for
I never thought we were angelic, and my only regret
is that I spent what little time I did in using the test;
for I need all the time I can command to make my
way in life so that I can reach a place where Fll be
safe from harm and can enjoy myself.

"Despite the edifying sentiments expressed here
to-day, Fll wager you're each as anxious as I to suc-
ceed in life. If I had known how pious you were all
getting I shouldn't have come, for, honestly, I've been
bored to death. ' My interests are elsewhere, so I'll
bid you a long farewell."

She left us with a graceful courtesy and we
watched in silence as she tripped lightly out of sight,

90 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

many of us thinking, no doubt, as I did, that there
was everything in Helen to attract, except a soul.

Somehow that failed to prove its existence. After
a somewhat awkward silence, which all hesitated to
break, Hilman suggested dinner, and we found that
it was high time, as we had been so interested in the
reports that the inner man had for once called in vain.

We selected for the luncheon hour an ideal spot,
shaded by grand old pines and dainty birches, and,
after having done what we could in assisting at the
preliminaries, we men stretched ourselves out under
the trees, recalling the pranks of our college days,
while the girls finished the preparations for lunch.
The ripple of the birch trees had lulled me into that
delicious state between sleeping and waking, when
an insect recalled me to the present by promenading
up and down my neck. After a few vain attempts to
dislodge him and still remain in the drowsy state, I
sat bolt upright with vengeance in my eye, only to find
that the bug was a harmless piece of grass which
Elizabeth had used to waken me for luncheon. Her
rippling laugh and merry face sent such a thrill of
pleasure through me that eating seemed a very hum-
drum affair and I foolishly exclaimed that it was un-
necessary amid such delightful surroundings. In a
second the boys had surrounded me, pinioned my arms
and fastened me to a tree, declaring that if I had
become so one-sided as to ignore the wants of the
physical man I could repent of my sins while watch-
ing the others eat. It recalled the days of practical

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 91

jokes and so I quite enjoyed the fun, especially as it
gave me a better opportunity to study my friends than
would have been possible otherwise, and I realized
that I, the former recluse, was developing a genuine
interest in my mates.

Olive's face was well worth attention, speaking,
as it did, of the old life and the new. As for Don's,
the fire and faith that shone through it were certainly
inspiring; but more than all the rest one face proved
to me that my early estimate of her was superficial in
the extreme. She whom I used to accuse of coldness
and insincerity was inspiring us all with a warmth
and purity which was a blessing. I was impatient
for her report, for surely she would speak the truth
as she saw it, and her face indicated that her hope
was strong, despite her knowledge due to the test.

As I sat there, free to think and watch, I could see
that each and all were responsive to her presence.
Why, then, should I feel dissatisfied at the evident
sympathy between Elizabeth and both Don and Hil-
man? I, who had never understood her or valued her
friendship above my professional ambitions, ought
surely to be willing that others should appreciate her.
It hurt, nevertheless, and I was glad when, the prac-
tical joke having been ended by more fun, and our
period of relaxation being over, we returned to the
cliff and settled down to hear the remaining reports.

92 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

I had been greatly impressed with the remarkable
change in the whole bearing of Grey, who had for-
merly irritated me beyond measure by his ecclesiasti-
cal complacency; whereas at our gathering that day
he appeared like a boat without anchor or ballast,
battling with unseen powers.

His face was thin and drawn, his eyes restless and
his mouth hard and unyielding to the play of the
lighter emotions. Even when the rest of us were
chaffing each other he rarely smiled, and so impressed
us all as a sad, careworn man. Consequently when
he was called upon by Hilman we were not surprised
at the general tone of his report, though the subject
matter was startling, coming, as it did, from one who
had always been steeped in ecclesiastical belief. Look-
ing first at Hilman, and then embracing us all in a
rapid, nervous glance, he exclaimed: "How I wish
this last year might be wiped out of my life! Hilman,
what possessed you to make it possible for us to know
the inner life of man? It has cost me my life, for
what is left is but a torment! I can see no hope
ahead, for the sphere I have tested is the only one
which I had any reason to hope would rescue the
world from the dominion of Selfishness. But she,
the Bride of Christ, is permeated with the world-
spirit and, while professing fidelity to Christ, has been
whoring after the gods of this world! The astonish-
ing part is that we have been blind so long to her
gross infidelity. It is because men honor names in-
stead of things. She has been called the Bride, and

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 93

men take it for granted she is still such, when in truth
she is an adulteress.

"When she was called the Bride think what a pure
life she led compared with the present! Christ's
spirit of loving sacrifice was in her, and 'the multi-
tude of them that believed were of one heart and one
soul, and not one of them said that aught of the
things which he possessed was his own; but they had
all things in common * * * and great grace was
upon them all/ and the church was able to speak the
word of God with boldness. There was no lack of life
in their meetings, no tedious homilies on religion, nor
useless repetition of catch phrases, followed by pauses
suggestive of indifference, vagueness or cowardice,
for they said, 'We cannot but speak the things we saw
and heard/ and they could witness gloriously to the
resurrection power of Christ, for they had felt it.
Christianity was once a Life — 'the Way/ they called
it, and it meant much more than agreeing to a creed.

"That you may not think me imbittered because
of lack of success in the ministry, and that you may
understand my present feeling, I will sketch hastily
my experiences since graduation from the seminary.
My first charge was in a district where the church
was in a frightful condition, viewed either from the
financial or spiritual standpoint. Its past history,
devoid as it seemed to be of any real life, served only
to stimulate me to earnest efforts at revival. I was an
enthusiast and thought that a prayerful, believing
servant must be blessed in his work. But as I came

94 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

to know the congregation better I found that there
was really no church there, in the proper sense of the
word. There were a few good souls among the
women, who were 'zealous for God, but not according
to knowledge/ and as for the male members, when
searching for men to fill the vacant elderships there
proved to be absolute!}7 none among them who were
morally fit, though some in the congregation might
have been eligible if they had cared enough to join
the church. Such was my first charge, made up of
people who were in the church for what they could
get out of it both now and hereafter. I worked un-
ceasingly and failed!

"The next field was much pleasanter socially, the
people being of greater education and refinement, but
it was fully as difficult, viewed from the standpoint
of Christ. There was everything necessary for good
work except the spiritual life. The attendance was
good, the finances in a fair condition and socially the
people indulged in the usual gatherings, with the
usual result. But the church attendance represented
the same people year after year, while in the com-
munity there existed another class, who were looked
down upon socially, and so were rarely seen inside the
walls of the church.

"Although a few Christ-like members tried to
change this condition of things, the church as a whole
ignored it and went on in the approved church way,
having no vital effect on the community.

"My next charge was in an active, energetic city

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 95

church, made up for the most part of people in fairly
comfortable circumstances. Instead of the inert and
apathetic condition of the first of my charges, and the
complacent self-satisfaction of the second, there was
an atmosphere of good business ability and enterprise.

"Yet as I look back what did it amount to as an
aggressive power in the community? Of course there
were regular meetings, all well attended, and you will
say that the preached word must have effect.

"But, though it must have done good in individ-
ual hearts, the organization did nothing toward prac-
tical opposition to wickedness in high places. True,
it held innumerable meetings, which we are accus-
tomed to call services, but I can see plainly now what
I only dimly comprehended at the time, that those
'services' of the church in behalf of the world were
formal, to say the lea^t. That very church had ex-
isted for twenty years in that same spot, with what
result in the neighborhood? There had been a steady
decline in the character of the vicinitv both as regards
the material and moral aspect. It was food for
thought, but I failed to apprehend the secret of the
trouble, though I knew in my heart of hearts, as all
honest thinkers have to admit, that the deterioration
of the neighborhood and the growing desire of the
church to move to a better locality reflected against
its own character.

"Yet all agreed in regarding that church as one of
the most successful in the city. During my pas-
torate many were added to the membership and the

96 THE PlRE CAUSEWAY

usual activities of a church were maintained with en-
thusiasm. My so-called success led to a call to an ex-
tremely wealthy congregation in another city. I had
become intensely interested in the institutional phase
of church work and the congregation that had called
me seemed equally anxious to enter upon very aggres-
sive work for their neighborhood, which also had
changed for the worse during the last few years. I
accepted the call, believing that much good would
result to the community, as well as to the church and
its pastor. In time ours was the foremost church in
the city, being regarded as a model for others through-
out the country.

"Yet, though our different departments seemed
in a thriving condition, I was conscious of some great
lack in the inner life of the church. Generally speak-
ing, those who did the most in contributing toward
our very heavy expenses were completely beyond my
reach personally. Of course I had a certain acquaint-
ance with my flock which many regarded as an inti-
mate one. But as the years went on I was more and
more conscious of the fact that I really did not know
the actual men and women at all. There was always
such a rush of activities, so many interests, such ab-
sorption in this, that and the other event.

"Gradually I awoke to the fact that there was
actually no real communion in the church and I grew
morbid over the subject of the Lord's Supper. What
did they mean by 'the communion of the saints'?
One line of Lowell's pursued me:

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 97

" 'The Holy Supper is kept, indeed,

In whatso we share with another's need;
Not what we give, but what we sliare,
For the gift without the giver is bare/

"I was getting into a curious state of mind. Here
was the realization of what had been, a few years ago.
my highest hope. A large, capable membership', a
generous liberality in point of contributions, even a
large working force, active in all the various depart-
ments; yet the question kept pursuing me: What does
it amount to? What are we aiming at? The church
was a fine aggregation of individuals, but was it a
iodyf

"When my perplexity was at its height you, Hil-
man, called us together and urged us to use the test.
At first I feared, actually feared, to know the truth
about my church, but, realizing finally that such a
state of feeling was worse than actual knowledge, I
began my voyage of discovery.

"Why did you entice us, Hilman? It has been
the deathblow to my hopes!

"Individually there are some who truly long to
serve their fellow-men, and many of these are battling
heroically against the unknown foe of humanity.
But in spite of their determined stand against evil
their work is futile and will always be until their eyes
are opened to the real condition of tilings.

"Our consecrated church members are but beat-
ing the air in their efforts at releasing the captives
of to-day. They cannot apprehend the source of our

98 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

trouble, for one and all are led away and enticed by
our atheistic commercialism. That which menaces
our religious, social and political life to-day is the
spirit of gain, and the dangerous class of our nation
is not the criminal, much less the discontented labor-
ing clasis, but rather is it the parasitic class which
lives on the labors of others and exalts a life of ease
and luxury. The privileged classes have the law on
their side, it is true, but who made the laws and when
did lawyers become necessary? We have but to go
back a few hundred years to find the solution of much
that puzzles us to-day. The land-grabbing process
has always had to be bolstered up by a class of hired
advocates, but woe unto those who call evil good and
good evil!

"After a few weeks of study I saw clearly that the
influence against a life of complete renunciation ema-
nated from what is called Society and so I determined
to subject it to the test.

"The controlling element, though not the working
part of my church, belonged to the Four Hundred,
as it has been called, and so I next turned my atten-
tion to what might be called the money-lending class,
although in America if a man only does business on a
large enough scale to avoid manual labor himself,
and be able to dictate to the laborers, he can secure
a footing in society.

"Of course we know perfectly well that there is no
class on earth that has not some noble people in it,

THE PUKE CAUSEWAY 99

but high life, as it is called, seems to me the most
utterly discouraging of all the grades of life.

"As I marked the outward show of magnificence,
the vulgar display of wealth, which is not the result of
honest toil on the part of the present owners, I heard
again the arraignment of the devotees of luxury:
'Ye, ye like cattle have devoured the vineyard; the
spoil of the destitute is in your houses/

"I wondered no longer at the powerlessness of
these people as regards church work, for their false
ideals and their lifeless existence render them useless
cumberers of the ground. The revelation of their in-
ner life was discouraging indeed! Such a paucity of
ideas, such a lack of originality, courage, independ-
ence, purpose, power!

"The outward surroundings of gorgeous apparel,
magnificent furnishings, palatial houses, made the
poverty of the inner life all the more striking.

"As I passed in and out among them I tried to
speak to them in love, and open their eyes to their
real condition; but they would not hear, for material
things rendered them deaf to such a message. Things
and stuff enslaved them. Such a lot of stuff! Stuff
in their houses, filled to the point of vulgarity with
heavy draperies, knickknacks and pictures; stuff on
their bodies such as a normal human being would re-
fuse to carry about; stuff in their minds, ideas picked
up here and there and everywhere, thrown in heaps
and rotting!

"And such a lack of equilibrium in everything,

100 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

such spasms as attack these poor, destitute creatures!
Drawn hither and thither by this interest and that —
many of them good enough as far as they go — there
is no settled purpose, no sincere belief, no life!

"It is just a wild, purposeless scramble, year in
and year out; and in saying that I do not ignore the
fact that many of these phantoms busy themselves,
part of the time, in benevolence and various philan-
thropic schemes. Yet in spite of all they do, the key-
note of their whole performance is appearance. Good
impulses, which would inevitably lead to a more sim-
ple and genuine life, knock at these hearts persist-
ently, only to be smothered by things! things! things!

"It's hideous, I tell you, and deadly.

"As I sat at their feasts and watched the rivalry
between the different hostesses in their efforts to
outdo each other I could not but wonder where it
would end.

"I had determined to search diligently into all
phases of my church and I have not stopped short of
a thorough examination. But it made no difference
what class I tested, the result was the same. All
classes are at war; those beneath moving heaven and
earth to get on top, and that part of society which
has been inappropriately called high life exerting
itself to the utmost to maintain its position of ad-
vantage.

"But it is not the class war which is the most de-
pressing, bad as that undoubtedly is. As I looked be-
neath the smiling self-complacency or the distressed

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 101

energy that poses in palaces or fights desperately in
the markets I saw another battlefield where two
selves were in deadly conflict. Egotism and altru-
ism, the external and transient self fighting for su-
premacy against the essential and eternal self.

"And seemingly the odds are in favor of the nat-
ural man as against the spiritual. Our very atmos-
phere, saturated as we are by the commercial spirit,
resounds with the dying groans of those whose faith,
hope and vitality are being crushed to death by ma-
terialism.

"As I passed to and fro, at feast or funeral, I saw
beneath the surface, humanity, prostrate, broken
down, inert. And yet one and all are busy producing
more and yet more of those very things which dwarf
our common life. Euskin was not so far wrong when
he wrote that our two objects in life are: ' Whatever
we have — to get more; and wherever we are — to go
somewhere else '

"There is no stability, poise or purpose, no slight-
est sign of unity in the body politic. And, as in a
human body, when unity is destroyed, special organs
tyrannize and a general breakdown occurs; so it is
with our social body. The warfare between the vari-
ous parts, together with the appearance of a parasitic
growth, which preys upon and consumes the life, indi-
cates the need of drastic measures to prevent a total
collapse.

"As I studied more closely into all phases of life,
one fact came out in bold relief in spite of the con-

102 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

fusion on all sides. There are only two classes of
men in whom there is any degree of robustness and
self-respect — those who are self-sacrificing and those
who work with their hands. This last fact surprised
me beyond measure, brought up as I had been to con-
sider brain-workers as the higher type of man, but
with this clew I pushed on in my explorations and
found that in proportion as a man withdraws from
honest, productive toil he becomes in his inner life
shriveled and stunted and dead.

"My church, composed as it was for the most part
of the money-lending class, was impotent in the face
of the world's- great need.

"What mattered it if they gave millions to the
cause of the oppressed, when they didn't give them-
selves? They did nothing, absolutely nothing, toward
the real redemption of the world from the darkness
of self-seeking, for they themselves were abiding in it.

"I determined to speak face to face with them
from the pulpit, stating what I had seen and pleading
with them to unite with me in an honest endeavor to
cast aside the works of darkness and walk in the light
of Sacrificial Love.

"I shall never forget that day!"

Grey's face, which had been working excitedly all
through his report, was hidden for the moment by
his nervous hands, while we all sat in silence waiting
for him to finish. He was evidently trying to control
himself and in a moment he resumed his account,
speaking with suppressed emotion.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 103

"I told them of the danger which was menacing
rich and poor alike — the one lying at the point of
death from suffocation, the other from lack of nutri-
tion. And as I looked into the souls before me, puny
and powerless as they seemed, I loved them passion-
ately; for were they not my brothers, children of a
common Father, and were we not all guilty of a com-
mon sin? Surely, surely, I thought, it is only neces-
sary for them to realize their own condition for a
genuine repentance to commence in the midst of us.

"In imagination I already saw a triumphant body
of men and women, who, having mastered the earthly
self and all material things, dedicated all they had or
were to the cause of humanity.

"But what was it that was transpiring before my
eyes? There in front rose Cowardice, and by its side
Suspicion; over there, Anger, Hate, Derision and
Skepticism, and scattered throughout the assembly
I saw the hideous visages of Greed!

"Still one encouragement was left me, for in
among these inhabitants of hell I discerned here and
there a child of Faith, and Love arose to stem the
swelling tide.

"But why tire you with a description of the scene?
It was not the first time a religious congregation de-
nounced the speaker and my ears were not the only
ones that heard the serpent's hissing commentary,
'He hath a devil/

"Instead of an assembly of the saints, whose robes
had been dipped in the blood of the Lamb, I saw be-

104 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

fore me a veritable Vanity Fair masquerading as the
Elect.

"The vision of the Valley of Dry Bones came be-
fore me and I cried out in my distress: 'Turn ye, turn
ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, 0 house
of .Israel T

"Involuntarily I dropped upon my knees and
prayed the Life-Giver that 'they might know the
truth and that the truth might make them free.'
How long I remained in prayer I never knew, but on
rising I found the place deserted save by the few
whom I had always known as servants of the race.

"Of course there was but one ending possible to
such a state of things — the pillars of the church de-
manded my resignation, and so the next Sabbath was
the last.

"It was impossible to prepare a sermon, so I simply
read selections from the discourse given by the gen-
tlest of men to those who live for self while pretend-
ing to live for others. I was determined that the
truth should be heard for once and where the New
Testament phraseology could be turned into modern
English it was done.

" 'Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter,
but within they are full from extortion and excess/

"Woe unto you theologians and clergymen, privi-
leged parasites, hypocrites! for ye support and gloss
over our murderous commercialism, though ye know
it to be based on extortion and excess.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 105

" 'Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left
undone the weightier matters of the law, judgment,
mercy and faith/

aWoe unto you Bible teachers and preachers, sep-
aratists of wealth, hypocrites! for ye punctiliously
proffer gifts and systematically ignore the all-impor-
tant matters of complete self-sacrifice, justice, mercy
and faith.

"'Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which out-
wardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of
dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so ye
outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity/

"Woe unto you teachers of the Gospel of Love,
pillars of the church, hypocrites! for ye are like unto
stately governmental buildings, which outwardly ap-
pear beautiful, but inwardly are full of bribery, class
legislation and spoils. Even so outwardly ye appear
righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of dis-
simulation and crookedness.

" 'But woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!
because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men;
for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them
that are entering in to enter/

"But woe unto you doctors of the God-revealed
law, religious formalists, hypocrites! because ye shut
the kingdom of righteousness, joy and peace against
men; for ye enter not in yourselves, neither is it pos-

106 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

sible for those who desire to enter the way to appre-
hend its principles.

" 'Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte,
and when he is become so ye make him twofold more
the son of Gehenna than yourselves/

"Woe unto you social, civil and religious leader.-,
hypocrites! for ye bend all your energies to secure con-
verts, and when they have become so they are twofold
more the children of confusion than yourselves.

" The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all
things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do
and observe; but do ye not after their works; for they
say and do not.9

"Then I declared to them that I had seen the
Enemy of Souls, which was certainly loosed for a
season.

"I told them that if they could see into the inner
life of modern commercialism as I had done thev
would see the Destroyer and his emissaries menacing
the very existence of the spiritual man by his sor-
ceries. It is the world-spirit, the liar from the be-
ginning, which has led men to believe that they can
^make a profit out of their brothers and at the same
time make their peace with God. I told my flock
what I had been led to see during that year's investi-
gation; that the false prophets are as prominent to-
day as when they were denounced by Jeremiah for
saying 'Peace, peace, when there is no peace/ Nor
can there ever be peace so long as the profit-makers

THE PURE CAUSEWAY ■ 107

rule the world. Every nation of the past has devel-
oped a great, materialistic civilization, essentially
similar to ours, only to end in darkness.

"And even when the death-knell was sounding,
the doomed nation congratulated itself on its pros-
perity as boastfully as we are doing to-day.

"The ruling classes of our nation to-day are as
culpable in the sight of God as they were in the days
of Micah; nay, even more so, for we each know, deep
down in our heart of hearts, that no amount of charity
or religious services is a substitute for justice and a
religious life.

"And every child of our common Father, who,
seeing our national sins of covetousness, greed and
oppression, and knowing that commercialism is a
menace to the spiritual man, refrains because of fear
to cry out against it, is damned!

"Christ denounced the religious teachers, the
Bible students and the pillars of the church of his day
because they upheld by their daily life an industrial
system which denied the Fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man.

"If costly charities, elaborate and punctilious
church worship, conscientious study of the scriptures
and multitudinous missions could not save the Jews,
neither will it save us from destruction unless we turn
from our self-seeking and become converted to God's
law of self-renunciation.

"We have come to the point where we profess
belief in a common Father and persecute, all prophets

108 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

who preach the gospel of common property. And so
we cling to our idols which are cursing us and spend
our days crying unto the Lord to save us in spite of
ourselves.

"I have seen enough of the inner life of man to
know that, though private property has done much
toward developing man's individuality in the past,
it has played its part and must give way to other in-
struments of progress. It has become a tyrant and
must take the consequences.

"The mystery to me is how Christians can de-
nounce the prophets of a new social order as de-
stroyers, when they must know that our present sys-
tem threatens the spiritual life of us all and degrades
millions to an existence lower than that of the beasts.
What if your philanthropy makes it possible for ten
or a hundred or a thousand to have bread? 'Man
cannot live by bread alone/

"We pity a maimed creature, be he man or dog,
and if we could see the multitude of maimed souls
in both palace and hovel, due to the mangling of our
great commercial machine, we would throw off its
tyranny and at least become its masters instead of
its slaves.

"We know it for a fact that originally land be-
longed to the clan or tribe as a whole and that our
present land laws are based on usurpation and con-
quest. We know that it was might rather than right
that instituted our present system of private prop-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 109

erty; yet we burn incense to it and consider any effort
toward the reign of right as the work of the devil.

"We are all busying ourselves at the childish game
of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Our daily life is based
on the theory that to the 'victor belongs the spoils';
and then tender-hearted men and women grieve over
the sorrows of the dispossessed and wonder how God
can allow such things to go on. I can see now, as never
before, that if we are not fighting the atheistic, com-
petitive principle with all our powers we are serving
it, and are guilty of fratricide.

"If the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak we surely have no right to crush them to the
wall six days out of seven and then try to atone for it
by giving them a portion of our plunder.

"But as long as the church depends on blood
money for its support, it cannot be at one with the
Spirit of Sacrifice.

"The pillars of our churches are in themselves a
condemnation of the church. As long as 'they sac-
rifice unto their net and burn incense unto their drag
(because by them their portion is fat, and their meat
plenteous)/ they will refuse to burn ineense unto the
altar of a common humanity.

"The vast majority of men and women are satu-
rated with the vital belief that 'I am something apart
from the Demos/ hence the deadly spirit of separat-
ism leads us to withdraw from the mass, industrially,
socially, religiously. And to-day men are regarding

110 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

^/-advancement as something opposed to and sepa-
rate from the development of Man.

"We try to corner all the privileges and amass
wealth, not because man is a hog by nature, but be-
cause we have taught ourselves to believe that we
must compete for our lives.

"But, though the church and the state as institu-
tions are no more convinced of Christ's political econ-
omy than formerly, I have seen men and women in
every church and in all walks of life who are feeling
their way toward a life of genuine sacrifice.

"Yet has this not always been the case, and are
we any nearer to the life of a real brotherhood than of
yore? I found my church no more willing to yield to
the law of utmost service than was the temple con-
gregation of old; and since the day they cast me out I
have gone everywhere seeking a real communion.
But Christ is not incarnated in the church, however
much he may seem to be in individual church mem-
bers.

"Nowhere can I find a union of men and women
in a sacrificial life; and that is but another way of
saying that I am of all men most miserable. For if
the church is overcome by the world-spirit where shall
we look for help?"

Grey's voice trembled with the intensity of his
feeling, and Don said, gently:

"But, old fellow, even though the organization
you served seems to be futile, there are realities left.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY HI

Surely the inner life you have seen in rich and poor
alike argues a better day that is coming."

"Don^t misunderstand me, Don. I would be the
last one to undervalue the noble individuals both in
and out of the church who are struggling bravely
against evil. But associated effort must be made in
order to grapple with our present problems, and where
is there any indication of an adequate association?"

"Perhaps it is even now coming to light," re-
sponded Elizabeth. "Men are realizing the impor-
tance of co-operation as never before, and the real
church of God seems to be emerging from the reputed
church, much as we know the earlv Christian bodv
developed from the Jewish institution."

Grey looked at Elizabeth inquiringly and was
about to speak, when Hilman asked: "Is that all of
your report, Clifford?"

"In substance, yes, for the details of church life
avail nothing if the essential brotherhood is lacking.
What if our seminaries are turning out hundreds of
ministers each year, or if missions multiply, or our
contributions increase? If, for our daily affairs, we
have more faith in the devil of strife, jealousy and
self-seeking than we have in the Christ-life, we are
yet in our sins.

"We love this present age, with its glory of out-
ward progress, and we are obedient not to the will of
the Father, the redemptive, loving will, but to the will
of the world---the will to live. So we see the sad
spectacle of the Bride of Christ entering into the

112 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

strife of the world and forsaking the way of holiness.
Instead of being a common lif e, incarnating the Spirit
of Love, she has come to look upon herself as a mere
sign-post, pointing men heavenward, but powerless to
go herself.

"We know better than our forefathers ti.at heaven
is a state; yet we have no living faith that Christ
can guide us into a state where nothing shall be done
through strife, where men and women obey the com-
mand, seven days in the week, 'Let all that ye do be
done in love/ For such an asssociated life would
strike at the foundations of our present society. We
hear again the cry from the privileged Pharisees: 'If
we let Him alone He will take away our place and
our nation/ and this is the secret of the bitter opposi-
tion to a more vital and genuine brotherhood.

"It means a deathblow at the atheistic practices
of our commercial profit-making system. God has
always held the rulers, the leaders of a people, re-
sponsible for the communal sins, and to-day the re-
ligious, social ai.d legal rulers might do well to heed
the awful arraignment of the Jews:

" 'Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave
off righteousness in the earth * * * hear, I
pray you, ye heads of Jacob and rulers of the house
of Israel; is it not for you to know judgment? Who
hate the good and love the evil; * * * who eat
the flesh of my people; * * * therefore it shall
be night unto ye, that ye shall have no vision/

"As I beheld the darkness in the minds of men

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 113

and saw the confusion of thought, even though many
love the lovely and strive to reconcile the mammon
of unrighteousness with holiness, I knew that as a
people we have no open vision. The cries that arise
from perplexed and earnest workers are the proof
that they have no vision.

" 'How long, 0 Lord, how long?' rises contin-
ually from those who sorrow with the sorrowing ones,
and they do not hear the question that the Lord of
life is asking them, 'How long halt ye between two
opinions? If Sacrificial Love be Lord of all then
serve it, but if self-seeking be the god of progress for-
sake your feeble efforts at sacrifice. Choose ye this
day whom ye will serve. Ye cannot serve God and
Mammon/

" Another cry in the night rises here and there:
'No hope! There is no hope!' And what drives me
to despair is the deafening chorus which I hear every-
where, both in and out of the church, 'We have no
king but Caesar!'

"That is the real confession of faith of all those
who live for self-aggrandizement and power.

"Is it any wonder that the earnest servants of man-
kind get discouraged in their efforts at reforming the
drunkards, prostitutes, criminals and tyrants, when
the cause which produces these monstrosities is left
undisturbed?

"Unless the church arise to its glorious privilege
of releasing the captives of our industrial system and
proclaiming the year of jubilee, she will die.

114 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

w

'Poulticing and doctoring the sores of our body
politic is mere quackery when we refuse to treat the
real disease that causes the eruptions.

"But where shall we look for the real servant of
the race?

"The church is supported for the most part by
the very men who would resent bitterly any drastic
measures such as self-renunciation demands.

"Truly my days are spent without hope, and where
to turn I know not!"

A silence followed his last words, each feeling,
no doubt, that words were cheap in the face of such
emotion. But in a few moments Hilman set the ball
rolling again by calling upon Florence Booth for her
report, saying: "Come, Florence, cheer us up and give
us a word of encouragement. Surely some of us
must have seen signs of a better time to come!"

She hesitated for a moment and then said: "I'm
as sure as any one can be that the genuine love that
we see everywhere in the hearts of men will result in
something that will not menace our reverence, faith,
chastity and self-sacrifice as our present system does.
But I have not discovered the agent which will insti-
tute the new order of things.

"Perhaps some of you do not know that after
graduation from college I took a thorough course in

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 115

kindergarten work in order to devote my life to the
development of childhood. And so I naturally took
that sphere for my specialty this year, though it led
me on into the subject of education in general.

"And though I believed, long before Hilman's
test came to our aid, that the hope of a nation rests
on the children of each generation, I never conceived
the wonderful promise that lies imbedded in a child's
soul.

"The atmosphere of the heart of a little child is
the most appealing thing in the Universe. And I
know, beyond a doubt, that if all the women of our
nation could see the inner life of childhood as I have,
they would unite in an effort to put away from the
world the things that make the little ones stumble.

"For some time I devoted myself to the study of
all classes of children under five years of age, and in es-
sence they seemed strangely alike, no matter how the
outward circumstances varied. In the vast majority
of cases there was an attitude of docility, humility and
love, and they looked out upon the world with bound-
less faith. The love and faith of one child, if fully
comprehended by mankind, would shame us into more
noble and unselfish living. And think of the vast
army of little ones depending upon this generation
for development and guidance!

"Quite by accident, it would seem, I next exam-
ined the life of college students of both sexes, and
what a revelation it was!

"Not but what there were remnants of the child-

116 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

like characteristics, but here was an entirely new crop
of qualities and aspirations. Whence came they, I won-
dered, and how can they possibly make for virtue and
progress? The attitude of the inner life had changed
completely; for, while there were evidences of the ex-
istence of such qualities as humility, meekness, kind-
ness, patience and the like, and while love — real un-
selfish love, I mean — fought desperately for life, some
force existed in the soul that was evidently dedicated
to the devilish work of killing the childlike faith and
tearing love from its vantage ground.

"Anxious to trace the history of the soul, I turned
my attention to men and women in middle life and
old age; and as I looked within I ceased to wonder
at their outward wrinkles and general appearance of
anxiety and care.

"What I saw explained the curious fact, often
dwelt upon, that mature men and women rarely pre-
serve the enthusiasm, faith and joy of childhood.
Barely do you ever hear men and women give way to
spontaneous and hearty laughter, and no wonder!
There is an intruder in the soul, a tyrant that has
usurped the throne formerly occupied by Love, and
chaos and confusion are the result.

"And as I studied more and more into the inner
life of maturity I could even hear the mutterings of
the slave-driver as it urged its victim on in the way of
death, 'Ye shall not surely die. You must serve your
own interests or be driven to the wall. They all do
it, you see, and so you must, and then, you know, the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 11?

more you get the more you can give away/ And so
each soul that has allowed the tyrant to take control is
driven hither and thither, striving to harmonize its
desire to love others with its desire to outstrip them.
And each one is busy adding his influence to the
deadly atmosphere of the world, which atmosphere is
to be breathed in by the next generation.

"If the homes of the land exerted the influence
they should, the effect of a materialistic schooling
would not be quite so disastrous.

"But in spite of the love in mothers' and chil-
dren's hearts, the dread influence is at work in the
homes, and in the majority of cases a child has re-
ceived the taint of commercialism before he is ten
years old. He learns all too early to measure things
by a money valuation and to consider it his main
business in life to make a success. Naturally all the
evils of the world take root in his heart, as he comes
more and more to regard his interests as opposed to
those of the mass of men. All the childlike qualities
are slowly crowded out by the growth of enmities,
jealousies, strife, wrath, divisions and worldly ambi-
tious.

"And as for the effect of the average school on
our little ones, we all know that the result is to make
each child desire a cheap success rather than a sin-
cere love of truth.

"Instead of a true development of the child, our
modern system of education cultivates in him a de-

V

118 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

sire for honor, place and power, and puts a premium
on seeming rather than on being.

"If our educational institutions aimed at a real
education — a real leading-out of all that is in the
child — would it be possible for thousands of young
men and women to be graduated from our institutions
each year, and the same old artificial state of society
to continue?

"If home and school would cease their efforts to
make each child conform to the accepted standards,
and allow each to develop naturally, we could not find
any two alike, and children would cease dreading the
epithet 'queer/ for the stigma would be removed
from it in human life, as it is in the natural world
around us. 'What will they think?' is the charm
which reduces most children to mediocre men and
women; and until we adults make a determined stand
in the face of custom the promise of childhood will
always dwindle into a most prosaic and limited ful-
fillment.

"The condition of things is bad enough if we
look only at the children who have decent surround-
ings and the comforts of life. But when you study
into the situation of the countless children, even in
this fair land, who are born amidst degrading influ-
ences, without even the proper food, clothing and
fresh air for physical development, let alone the ne-
cessities for the mental and moral growth, it gives
one pause. The fact that, in spite of all the adverse
circumstances, children here and there do grow into

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 119

men and women of grand characters, bids me hope in
spite of everything. But we must be up and doing,
bending every energy to bring about an environment
in which a noble development may be possible for
every child in the nation. To expect much, under
the present deadening conditions, is as foolish as it
would be to plant a seed in sterile soil, keep all light
and warmth from it and then expect a glorious fruit-
age.

"While witnessing the heart-hunger of the little
ones, the gropings after light, and the serious ponder-
ings over life, I have been filled with a determination
to rouse all I can in their behalf and come to their
rescue. But what can be done? I am at my wits'
end. Is there no one here with a definite message?"

"Perhaps the former champion of the oppressed
can throw some light oh the subject; so let me intro-
duce to you, ladies and gentlemen," said Hilman
with an impressive wave of the hand, "the well-known
and admired Don Quixote, whom we feel sure will
speak to us with his usual convincing power. But,
by Jove, old boy, you look about ten years younger
than when we last met! Have you discovered the
secret of perpetual youth? You put us all to shame.
Explain it, Don," and Hilman looked more than half
in earnest, despite the laughter in his eyes.

120 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

Don returned Hilman' s look, saying quietly, "I
will do my best to give you my secret," and then con-
tinued lying, as before, flat on his back, gazing up
into the blue heavens as if he were lost in the realm
of fleecy clouds above us. We thus had a fine oppor-
tunity to note the change spoken of by Hilman. In
the old days he had been the epitome of nervous
energy. His face, always earnest, seemed to indicate
a defensive attitude toward the world in general, and,
although we had always been conscious of his strong
personality, and felt a pride in his power, we were
forever opposing him. It was impossible to refrain
from it. His very earnestness aroused antagonism
and it may have been his consciousness of that fact
that helped to intensify his bitterness toward the
classes.

But now, instead of the old fiery haste and the
careworn, anxious expression, which were so marked
at our last meeting, a year ago, there was a calmness
and poise which had never been noticeable before;
and, more than that, a brightness and hopefulness
dominated the whole man. Instead of springing to
his feet, as he would have done formerly when about
to address us, he merely turned on his side, support-
ing his head in his hand, and, looking earnestly at
Hilman, said: "Without knowing it, you gave me the
secret of perpetual youth, and I can never thank you
enough for your discovery. It has been my greatest
blessing!"

A quiet, sunny smile flitted across his face, fol-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 121

lowed by an expression so deeply thoughtful that
none cared to question him.

Finally Winter broke the silence by saying: "I
always thought Don a born orator and now I know it.
He has discovered the secret of securing attention by
arousing curiosity. Don't keep us in suspense, Don;
it's cruelty to the ladies."

"Well/' said Don, with some embarrassment, "I
wish now that I had written my experiences all out,
for then I might have known better how to present
my conclusions in an intelligible way to you."

"Listen to the boy!" exclaimed Stafford. "He
evidently thinks it necessary to talk down to our
level!"

"To be perfectly frank, Fm afraid I will v ^t make
myself clear to all of you; for a year ago to-day I
could not have understood what I shall try to tell you
as the result of my experiences.

"I wish to witness to my faith and it is a difficult
matter to find the proper words, for I don't want it
to appear a stereotyped affair. So I beg you will di-
vest yourselves as far as possible of your various preju-
dices and hear me to the end.

"It is needless to tell you what realm I started to
test, for you well know that all my interests have been
on the side of Labor.

"It was burned into my soul as a little child,
brought up as I was in the haunts of poverty and joy-
less toil, that there must be a way of escape for
the masses from their grinding, blinding, unending

122 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

travail, and my greatest ambition was to fit myself so
that I might do my part toward delivering my broth-
ers and sisters from their intolerable bondage.

"Yet even in youth I was filled with fear rather
than hope, and as the years went on and the outlook
became less and less promising, I began to lose heart
and had almost yielded to the temptation to live sim-
ply for my own advancement, and leave the down-
trodden mass to its fate. But Hilman saved me from
my baser self. When he told us of his strange dis-
covery I felt convinced that it would do wonders for
my cause, for knowledge certainly is power.

"But I little knew what wonders it would do
for me.

"At first my investigations only added to my load
of anxiety and bewilderment. But a courageous
friend showed me that in regarding the industrial
problem in a narrow light I was standing in my own
way, for my prejudices were hindering me from a
comprehensive view of things.

"In time I came to see that in order to understand
life we must be generals as well as specialists. So for
awhile I gave up the study of one aspect of life and
tried to view it as a whole. I viewed it from as many
standpoints as possible, trying to put myself in an-
other's place, the test being a wonderful help, reveal-
ing as it did the real man instead of his outside.

"In my attempts to know not simply individual
men, but man, I studied as many individual types as
possible, and also tested the same man under varying

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 123

circumstances. The revelations that came to me in
this way were simply astonishing.

"A man who has nourishing food, pleasant sur-
roundings and a bright outlook is a totally different
creature from the same man devoid of the necessities
of life and bereft of hope. People talk as if they
knew it for a fact, but to appreciate it fully one must
actually see the inner transformation as I have, many
times during this last year.

"It is a frightful thing to see faith and hope give
way to despair, pregnant as it often is with the most
desperate purposes. And yet adversity is often a
positive blessing. My greatest surprise in my ex-
amination of the inner man was to find what might
be called a material and a spiritual self, such as you
referred to, Clifford. I had actually denied the ex-
istence of spiritual life, previous to this year, and here
it met me face to face. And it is the existence of
these two selves, with their consequent warfare, which
makes the real struggle for existence so grand — the
spiritual struggle I mean, of course — away from the
things of time and sense — out toward the realities of
life. And sometimes when men have been absorbed
in the pursuit of worldly ambitions it is a positive
blessing to have all hindrances to real life, such as
material possesssions and hopes, swept away.

"But long-continued poverty is quite another thing,
and any one who realizes its effect on the souls of men
will dedicate all his powers to liberating the race from
such a curse. Impertinent as the question may seem,

124 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

I would like to ask if any of you have ever known
what it is to be either hungry or cold for days at a
time. JSTo; of course not, and while I have had some
experience along that line, it is as nothing compared
to what thousands endure for months and even years.
And when I stop to consider the weakening effect,
both mentally and physically, of hunger, cold and
fatigue, I am lost in wonder that the ever-increasing
army of the dispossessed, who struggle on from year
to year without the barest necessities of real life, do
not rise in desperation and overthrow the present order
in another gigantic revolution of blood.

"It would be well for our ruling classes to learn a
lesson from the past, for neither a tyrannical monarch
nor class can oppress the people beyond a certain
point.

"Part of this year I made Chicago my headquarters
and during the strike of the garment-makers I lived
in the region of the sweatshops, that I might identify
myself with the strikers and learn to know them.

"Such scenes as I witnessed in that locality! Such
crowded, ill-ventilated rookeries as answer for homes,
such meager and adulterated food as they live upon,
and such interminable hours of work! As I looked
into their sunken eyes and noted the stunted physical
life, due to their miserable wages, I wondered over and
over why they ever took the trouble to strike. Why
not give up the struggle and die? But the love of
life is strong, even in half-starved and stunted men
and women, and ambitions for their children, if not

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 125

for themselves, lead them to do just what you or I
would do under the circumstances.

"And yet how many people in the upper classes
do you ever hear espousing their cause?

"We pride ourselves on the strike our revolution-
ary fathers undertook when the oppressive conditions
were as nothing compared to those of modern strikers.
Ah, but they were our ancestors, whereas these creat-
ures are foreigners. It's the old story, you see. We
can't realize that we are all brothers. Church people
are never tired of exalting the great strike in Egypt,
led by the hero Moses, but that bears no relation to our
vested interests, or we think it doesn't, which amounts
to the same thing in our eyes. Of course the degraded
Hebrew slaves in Egypt were justified in refusing to
endure the industrial oppression of those in power,
because — well, perhaps you'd say God ordained their
deliverance. Some day we, of the classes in power,
may learn the lesson that God ordains the deliverance
of our industrial slaves. But until that conviction
takes hold of the majority of men you will see thou-
sands in every large city stunted, limited in every way,
and depraved. Yet, in spite of their coarseness and
immorality, lying, as it does, at the door of those who
have produced this great mass of slaves, I found that
in the majority, even among the most oppressed, the
inner life was in essence the same as that of the privi-
leged classes. Ignorant, uncouth, limited though
they be, I am more often stirred to better living by
witnessing their inner life than by studying into that

126 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

of the upper classes. There is a greater sense of hu-
manity in them — more of an at-one-ness with man-
kind— than in the industrially elect. And the sterling
qualities shine forth grandly against the background
of vice and degradation.

"Yet what is the attitude of those in better circum-
stances toward such as these? For the most part dis-
dain, or at best a condescension which prompts them
to throw a sop to the sufferers in the form of some
charity. How few people realize that if we had justice,
charity would be thrown out of work! The classes
to-day are still of the comfortable conviction that such
people 'should be content in the position in which
Providence has placed them'; though there is a grow-
ing suspicion that man's greed may have had some-
thing to do with their present position. But the
twinges of conscience are easily silenced by the ques-
tion: 'How can we do anything more than we are
doing?'

"In one of my rambles I ran across a building in
one of the poorer parts of the city which attracted my
attention because of the name on its front, 'Common- '
wealth/ It sounded inviting, and while wondering
whether I should investigate it, a peal of laughter
came from the basement. I sprang to the window
and was confronted by a novel scene. The room was
plain and unattractive, except from its air of welcome,
produced by a gathering of wide-awake men of varying
types. There were neatly dressed men and those of
rougher appearance, some even verging on the 'tough/

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 127

Many were minus collars and some even were of for-
bidding aspect, yet all seemed equally at home. I
could not for the life of me tell whether there was
any one presiding or not.

"A thick-set, rather domineering man had the
ffoor, and frequent applause proved that he was at least
entertaining his audience. Eealizing the freemasonry
of the place, I entered and was seated just in time to
hear the speaker say: 'I must say I don't care much
for parsons myself, but there is a kind that I believe

in, and that's the Maurice, Kingsley and G T

kind!'

"Whereat the whole assembly dittoed his remark
by cheers, applause and mighty stampings. Only one
man in the gathering failed to join in the general ex-
pression of enthusiasm, seemingly quite overcome by
the unexpected demonstration. I learned afterward
that he it w^as who had been classed with the great
English servants of mankind. He is a minister of the
gospel in a truer sense than many another of the cloth.

"Although he is a professor in a theological semi-
nary, he makes his home in this poor section of the
city and gives of his time and strength to the people
of the neighborhood. He is pouring out his life in a
very practical way for those who need him and is at
the same time learning much in regard to the actual
problems of life. The men recognize the unfeigned
love of this man, and so he is able to help them in
many ways impossible to the typical clergyman.

"This place is a rendezvous for all men who desire

128 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

to discuss the problems of the day, and here they come,
week after week, with no other attraction than the
privilege of free speech.

"If such a place had not been in existence these
same men would have gathered in the saloons, for the
same reason, following out their God-given instincts
for social life.

"Some day the church may awaken to the fact
that she has been blind to many such responsibilities."

"But, Don," said Louise, "you surely must admit
that most all of the noble efforts toward bringing
about a better state of things have originated in men
who were first inspired to holy living by the church ?"

"Probably; but even so they had to go outside the
church to engage in their chosen work. If the church
had been alive to her mission, such work as social set-
tlements, kindergartens, Y. M. C. A.\s, charity or-
ganizations and the like would not have been needed.
The mere fact of their existence reflects against her.

"This evening of which I am speaking, the topic
for debate was the attitude of the church toward labor;
and I was amazed at the bitterness in the hearts
around me against the church. Yet their attitude to
the Savior of men was at least kindly and in many
hearts I could see the life of the Spirit. Their bit-
terness must have a cause, explain it how you will,
and many showed their sensitiveness to the discrep-
ancy existing between the ideals of the Savior and
those of his professed followers. How to reconcile
such statements as these, made by professing Chris-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 129

tians, nay even pastors, at the time of the Pullman
strike, 'They deserve to be penned and shot/ and
'Fifty cents and his dinner is enough for the laboring
man to earn a day/ with the Savior's command, 'All
things whatsoever you would that men should do
unto you, even so do ye also unto them; for this is
the law and the prophets/ is indeecl a puzzle.

"The men in this place are allowed perfect free-
dom in discussion, and they, in turn, listen willingly
to the honest declaration of faith from their clergy-
man friend. So all sides have a hearing and they
all meet as brothers. I went away from that meet-
ing buoyed up with a new hope. Here, at last, was
an indication of true brotherliness, and might it not
spread so that all classes would unite in an effort
to solve the labor problem? I asked myself. At any
rate, the Commonwealth did much to remove some of
my prejudices.

"You all know my former bitter opposition to the
church, made up, as it had always seemed to me, of
those who preach peace and live war. But this
glimpse of a sacrificial life of a member of the institu-
tion I had hated made me feci that I had been unfair.

"In order, therefore, to study our industrial prob-
lems from the standpoint of the church I identified
myself with what seemed to be a very successful one.
But my experience was the same as yours, Grey. There
is no unity in the institution. It is merely an aggre-
gation of individuals. The more I studied the inner
life of church members the more I realized that in

130 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the face of our modern problems the church is power-
less. The root of the trouble is in the sphere of our
concepts and ideals of life. We want to be separated
from the proletariats, separated so far that their woes
may not affect our comforts, and, instead of being
afflicted because of their sins, we repudiate that prin-
ciple by hardening our hearts toward the confirmed
beggar or criminal. If the Eedeemer had waited un-
til we were worthy of his love and sacrifice where
would we have been to-day? We need never expect
a genuine fellowship to exist among men until we rid
ourselves of the conception that we are in need of
more blessings than the most degraded. Everywhere
I saw men hoarding their wealth — wealth of thought,
of various abilities, as well as material wealth — re-
garding the mass of men as existing for their benefit.
It is the old Grecian theory that slaves are a necessity
to culture and advancement. But till men learn
that property is ours only as we use it, no matter how
many laws are passed by those in power to substan-
tiate our claim, we will go on hoarding and dwarfing
ourselves as well as those from whom we have stolen
the property.

"For it makes no difference whether it be the land
which God gave for the use of all, or whether we
hoard our culture and intellectual riches, the price
of our advantage has been our brother's enslavement.
That which fosters special privilege, ease and separa-
tion must be done away with ere an actual brother-
hood can be realized.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 131

"The idea of co-operation must penetrate all
classes, but there must be a spiritual leadership before
our present slavery is abolished.

"Association in a common ideal is needed, and I
turned from the church to seek some signs of it
among the Salvationists. I had always felt a greater
respect for them than for the organized church, in
spite of some methods which are questionable. There
was certainly a nearer approach to co-operation, but
as I tested the inner life of the workers their limited
views of life disheartened me. They had no clear idea
of the real enemy which is causing the death of mil-
lions, and so once more I witnessed the poulticing
process, in lieu of an intelligent fight against the
Destroyer. The church and the Salvation Army are
both busying themselves in rescuing a few victims,
instead of dealing a deathblow at the cause of our
present evil age.

"But it was while mingling with these earnest men
and women that I saw that which gives me faith and
hope in the final outcome of our present struggle.
Often I witnessed the great miracle — the resurrection
of the soul from death to life, and henceforth I know
that the earthly existence in men and in society must
in time yield to the higher one of the Spirit. To see
a creature, dead to all that is pure and holy, bound
hand and foot to soul-destroying habits — to see such
a creature, I say, rise into newness of life, is to believe
intensely in a life higher than our own.

132 . THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"And faith in this redeeming, purifying Spirit is
the secret of perpetual youth.

"Your test, Hilman, gave me this faith, and I
thank you from the depths of my heart.

"I was so prejudiced against religious forms that I
denied the truth which had brought these forms into
existence.

"Man is his own worst enamy. If he would only
free himself from his prejudices and look the whole
of life squarely in the face he would have to believe
in the spiritual life that throbs through the Universe.

"Since the revelations due to your test, Hilman, I
have felt a joy which nothing in the material world
can give or take away. Every day is a revelation of
life and the end is not yet!"

He had risen as of old and was pacing back and
forth, inhaling deep breaths and looking the per-
sonification of strength and joy.

Jim, who had been somewhat restless all through
the latter part of Don's report, said, anxiously:

"You surely haven't given up your faith in Social-
ism, have you? That would be to turn from the light
that is breaking on our benighted civilization/'

"Say, rather, I have discovered the secret of
strength in the social movement, for I have seen the
socializing spirit baptize a man living for self and
transform him into a whole-hearted servant of man-
kind. It is just because our present atheistic com-
mercial system blasphemes the spirit of Love that it
is doomed. The satanic aims of competition must be

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 133

overcome by the unfeigned love of humanity or our
civilization will go out in darkness.

"It has been well said, long before competition
had produced our present chaos: 'There must be a new
world if there is to be any world at all/ The next
order of society is already at our doors, whether its
earthly name be Sociality or Christianity it does not
matter. When we realize that a man can serve him-
self truly only as he serves the race to the utmost of
his powers, we will then be ready to enter into the
meaning and realization of the principles enunciated
by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. Christianity
is not the individualistic affair men have imagined it,
but a social life, founded on justice and love/'

"Well, it's cruel to throw cold water, I know,"
responded Stafford, "but I don't believe we can ever
have justice among men. You'd have to change
human nature."

"What perfect twaddle, Stafford! Any unbiased
student must see that from the dawn of history there
has been a force in the world working continually
for no other reason than to change human nature.

"Man has already developed wonderfully and will
make even greater strides toward the goal of a per-
fected humanity in the next century. 'Xot to change
is to die/ We see evolution at work in nature, and
also in society — first the simple form of the tribe or
clan, then the feudal system, and lastly the present
commercial form. Of course the unthinking men in
each stage of society regarded theirs as the final form,

134 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

just as the mass of men to-day regard our present sys-
tem as permanent and ordained of God.

"It certainly was ordained of the Father, just as
truly as is the husk of a seed; but if the husk, which
serves a purpose by protecting the life within, imag-
ines itself as the end of creation, refusing to give
way to the swelling life of the seed, it kills both
itself and the principle within. The husk of com-
mercialism must die, as all the other husks have done
before it, in order that the swelling life within may
burst forth into new forms. They in turn will die,
that the imprisoned life may pass on and on.

"Death and resurrection mean more than we are
accustomed to think; and Christ claimed that his life-
principle would change the whole aspect of creation.
It is this principle, existing from the foundation of
the world, which has wrought all the changes so far
and will perfect that which it has undertaken.

"In the individual life we know that 'if any man
is in Christ he is a new creature/ and if he isn't a new
creature — if he doesn't strive to order his whole life
by a principle directly opposed to the world-principle
— he isn't in Christ, That's plain enough for a child
to understand.

"Society has never yet been converted to the Christ
principle of utmost service, but it has been growing
toward it ever since the foundation of the world.

"We are overwhelmed by the revelations of Hil-
man's test and some are plainly discouraged by it; but
how any one who believes in the divine life working

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 135

continually upon and through the human can suc-
cumb to despair I cannot imagine. Tt? Spirit of Love
has declared that 'He shall not fail nor be discouraged
till he have set judgment in the earth/

"The chaos and confusion of the present is due to
the fact that we are living in a transition period and
the old interests are fighting desperately with the new
ideals.

"The ideal of a practical and genuine brotherhood
has been conceived by the Spirit of Love brooding
over society, and ere long a new birth will take place.
The particular form which will embody this new life
is unknown as yet, but form it will have, as surely as
the life imbedded in the seed reveals itself in the
dainty fern or noble oak.

"The present crisis is a most impressive one. for
nowhere in history do we find a ca~:e where a nation
having reached our present stage yielded itself to the
call from above and entered into the higher life pos-
sible to it. One after another the nations have passed
through substantially the same phases as our present
civilization, only to end in darkness.

"But although spasmodically and at long inter-
vals the life-saving principle of co-operation has
manifested itself in temporary forms, never before has
the conviction of a social responsibility so permeated

136 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

society. And I believe most firmly that we will live
to see a transformation of our national life."

"That is a faith worth living f or, even dying for,"
exclaimed Hilman, "and I can add my testimony to
such a confession. My year of study has given me
your faith, Don, and henceforth I shall devote my life
to the bringing in of a better day. The only real
obstacle to progress is man himself, but it is a big one
and one which even God cannot hurriedly overcome.

"Gradually we are realizing that, in a sense, crea-.
tion is not finished, and, whether we look at the nat-
ural or political world, we see that the method is one
of development.

"When we can get far enough outside of ourselves
to view our own obstinacy and bigotry, to say nothing
of the blindness and stupidity of the world as a whole,
we will get some dim conception of the patience and
long-suffering of God.

"He has spoken to us in every conceivable way,
even writing 'sermons in stones and books in running
brooks/ trying to get us to see the law of life. Yet
we persist in saying over and over the A, B, C's
learned in the childhood of the race and refuse to pass
on to higher truths, which must be learned ere God's
purpose toward us can be accomplished. Generations
ago fearless thinkers and seers, reading the book of
Nature, declared that self-preservation was its first
law, and, although mankind rewarded these prophets
with stones, it hats since that time ordered society on

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 137

that principle, and stoned all those who would not
swear by the dictum of the martyrs.

"Since their day, however, other seers have arisen
with deeper insight into Nature and they proclaim
the good news that competition is not the funda-
mental principle of the universe, but is instead only a
transient phase, serving creation for a season, and no
more permanent in the natural world than in the
spiritual. But of course these prophets of renuncia-
tion and co-operation can no more escape the stoning
process than those earlier servants of the race. And
even yet the majority of men cling to the notion that
strife and self-seeking is a part of a divinely ordered
plan, even though prophets and martyrs declare com-
petition to be the disintegrating force of the material
universe.

"The one thing the race will not permit is inde-
pendent, courageous thought; and who dares cry out
against the traditions of the elders is threatened with
all the terrors of the Most Holy Inquisition up to date.

"Man is swearing lustily by commercialism, just
as he was a few centuries ago by feudalism, or earlier
still by the tribal life, yet it has now become an absurd
machine for producing nothing but waste — a fright-
ful waste of physical life, to say nothing of the mental
and moral.

"Competition served a grand purpose in teaching
the world the worth of an individual, but it has out-
lived its usefulness and is at present denying its ear-
lier confession of faith. Men point proudly to our

138 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

material progress and sing the praises of our social
machine, ignoring the fact that never before since
feudalism gave way to free competition in business
has the world presented such a spectacle of slavery as
it does to-day.

"Starting out as political equals, the strong have
enslaved the weak, and to-day the rights of the indi-
vidual have been denied.

"As we gaze upon the stupendous waste of human
life in every large city, waste of talents which never
develop, and waste of even life itself, it is as unrea-
sonable for us to put the responsibility upon God as
it would be to blame him with the pall of smoke that
hangs over our cities.

"They each lie at the door of our materialistic
civilization, which fosters greed and practical atheism.
Society is responsible for its own disease, which has
its roots in the sin of self-seeking, and, like the prodi-
gal, it must cease wasting its substance in riotous liv-
ing and return to the control of the Father.

"If the waste I have spoken of concerned only our
slaves we might continue to support our profit-making
system on the plea that the many must suffer for
the advancement of the few. But how many in our
nation to-day, even among the well-to-do, can claim
to have developed themselves as they could and would
if the demands of business would allow it?

"Christians believe that they are held accountable
for the use of their talents, not for the advancement
of self, but for the advancement of a kingdom of

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 139

righteousness. So then, if they see that our present
crude system hampers us, our children and the entire
human family, is it not time for them to awake to
righteousness and cease their communal sins?

"Whether we belong to the oppressed or to the
oppressors, we know ourselves to be puny, powerless
creatures compared to our possibilities.

"Everywhere I have heard the cry from the heart
of man: 'Oh, if I could only be free to serve the world
better! If I could only live close to Nature and de-
velop my talents instead of grinding away at money-
making P

"The old political economy, appropriately called
4pig political economy/ which has supported our pres-
ent commercialism on the atheistic theory that man
is essentially selfish, will have to give way to a new
economy which will truly economize the powers of
man and develop them in an atmosphere of love.

"The prophets who have apprehended the truth
that the sacrificial law is the foundation of all life,
political and social as well as natural, are the heralds
of a new order of society.

"And I believe with you, Don, that some new
form will soon embody the social ideal which is even
now coming to light.

"But we must give up our old practice of getting
ready to live hereafter and begin right here and now
to live the common life. We must wind up our own
individual business affairs, cease competing with our
own flesh and blood, and in place of such absurd am-

140 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

bitions we must be about our Father's business — that
of the perfection of the race. There can be no such
thing as 'private business' in God's universe.

"We are each of us social beings and we have a
social responsibility which is not discharged when we
have appeared at the polls to vote for vested interests.

"And it seems to me that those of us who feel this
must co-operate somehow in order to overcome the
practices of greed. The next step in the grand evo-
lution is the only thing that puzzles me. Perhaps
your report will throw some light on this point,
Elizabeth?"

With a bright, winsome smile she responded:
"What a strange thing life is! The more I have
studied into the history of the race the more it seems
to resemble the history of a single child. It takes both
a long time to shake off the tyranny of the outer
world. Pardon me for referring for a moment to one
child's experience, in order to show what I mean.

"Like most children, emotion played an important
part in my early life, and the consequent extremes of
feeling were very trying. At times life seemed a per-
fect joy, and again I hated it and everybody, myself
included. At first I blamed my environment, think-
ing as all children, and races too, that it was the life
outside of myself that made or unmade me. Grad-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 141

ually, however, I became dimly conscious that I was
quite a factor in these changes from joyousness to
hatefulness, and slowly I began to realize that real
happiness depends on whether we are in. harmony
with our real though unseen environment, God.

"Many a night, in my early teens, I lay awake
pondering over the contrast between the persistent
laying up of treasures on earth, practiced by church
members, and the Savior's command, 'Lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon earth/

"After a few years of restlessness, I decided to take
Christ at his word, and, in the simple faith of a little
child, bend all my energies toward seeking the estab-
lishment of his kingdom on earth, and take no
thought as to my own welfare in the world.

"But to my great surprise my plan was opposed
by all my relatives and friends, and, more astonishing
than all, my pastor and teachers urged me not to be
fanatical and to 'avoid doing anything extreme/ ex-
plaining away Christ's commands in the Sermon on
the Mount till they were robbed of all their power.

"How well I can appreciate now a thought ex-
pressed by one of our greatest seers: 'Neither can we
depend upon our nearest friends to decide for us what
we shall do with Christ. The best of them will un-
knowingly advise his crucifixion when they see the
crucifixion of self to be the alternative.'

"The average Christian is powerless, because, while
professing to be free in Christ, he persists in sub-
jecting himself 'to the weak and beggarly rudiments'

142 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

of the world. I was no exception to the vast majority
in the churches, for I settled down into the joyless,
powerless life of trying to serve God and mammon.

"In college I mourned over my lack of power, for
underneath all I earnestly desired to aid others in
learning the truth, which, like most, I did not believe
could actually be practiced.

"When you called me to account, Frank, on the
score of being a sham, it was nearer the truth than we
either of us suspected, for by that time I had suc-
ceeded in deceiving myself as to the utter impossi-
bility of having at one and the same time the mind
of flesh and the mind of the spirit, and so I resented
your thrust, which you must admit was made in the
dark.

"The first few years after graduation were filled
with home duties and joys. It was also in this period
that my greatest sorrows came, for my dear ones were
taken from me, after a lingering sickness on the part
of my mother, and by a most shocking accident to my
brother.

"Then came the varied experiences in New York
city, when Olive and I bent all our energies toward
making a home center for the homeless ones.

"Whether we served them or not I can hardly
say, but I know it did us each a great deal of good.
And I am sure that we have proved the truth of the
saying that the more you identify yourselves with the
needy ones the more your own needs are supplied —
the more life you give, the more you receive.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 143

«n

That experience was a great blessing, and it
proved to me the folly of most modern philanthropies,
conducted as they are at arm's length.

"I used to waste much time wondering why God
allowed so much suffering and sin in the world, but
I am convinced, at last, that it is man who allows it
and man alone who is responsible for it.

"The inmost desire of church people must be some-
thing other than righteousness; otherwise the millions
of members, with all their resources, could transform
this nation in a year from a slave market into a fam-
ily. I was half-conscious of this fact; So when Charles
put it into our power to know somewhat of the inner
life of the world I determined to know why the church
is so powerless in the face of our great industrial prob-
lems.

"To that end I studied all styles of churches,
from the Fifth avenue type to the missions of the
slums, and everywhere I found substantially what
Clifford has reported — the interests of this world
fighting against the interests of the kingdom.

"Even in the missions, where there is great earnest-
ness and sincerity, selfishness is made the motive of
salvation; for men are urged to come to Christ to
escape hell, and they are even influenced toward their
decision by the hopes of material benefits here. If you
could see, as I have, the gross ignorance that abounds
in the hearts of men as to what the gospel really is,
you would wonder at the progress that has been made
in spite of it.

144 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Christ himself warned us that 'whosoever will
save his life shall lose it/ and I cannot see as the
element of eternity changes the principle in the least.
As long as we are influenced by the hope of personal
benefits, either here or hereafter, we have not learned
the A, B, C's of the Christ-life. As a result of the
studies of the inner life of the church I have con-
cluded that its greatest need is not more workers,
money or knowledge, but a new birth. Everywhere
moralit}^, rather than Christianity, holds sway. The
idea of perfect self-sacrifice is far from church mem-
bers' thoughts. This accounts for the powerlessness
of the church, which has at this moment members
enough to transform the world if they cared for that
more than for ease of body and mind.

"We take for granted the necessity of worldly am-
bitions and standards and then grieve because we
accomplish so little.

"We spend six days in the week seeking our own
advancement in the material world and then expect
God to work in and through us mightily, forgetting
that Christ commanded us to cease living according to
the Gentile standard, which advocates this method.

"Often and often I attended meetings where
women, attired in silks and jewels, voiced sentiments
of regret at the depleted state of the Lord's treasury,
and seemed anxious to hit upon some way to make up
ihe deficiency. And many, even among the gor-
geously appareled ones, were sincere; but, shame on
the church that it is so, they cannot rid themselves of

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 145

the conviction that they must maintain their positions
in society at whatever cost and give only what they
can spare to the Lord. Think of Christ, if yon can,
maintaining a handsome establishment, giving lux-
urious dinners and competing for the spoils of the
business world! And if it would be incongruous for
the Master to mind the things of the flesh, it certainly
must be for those who are called to follow him.

"If it had not been for the living faith revealed by
the test in the hearts of men and women in every
walk of life, I would have despaired. And even as it
was, I felt so perplexed at the frightful confusion of
life that I determined to withdraw for awhile into a
quiet country place and try to arrive at some conclu-
sion as to the next step to be taken in the solution of
the problems of the world.

"So amid the beauties of nature I studied ear-
nestly, reading everything that gave promise of aid
and trying to think fearlessly, guided by the spirit of
truth.

"One day I stretched myself out on the grass,
tired of what began to seem profitless study, and gave
myself up to the enjoyment of the beautiful scene
before me. The view was superb, the breeze refresh-
ing and all the sounds of nature lulled me into a de-
licious state of relaxation. Suddenly I was covered
with a cloud of thick darkness and in a moment the
waving branches overhead had disappeared and I was
conscious of being surrounded by an impenetrable
substance. Springing to my feet, I found above me

146 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

a wall of stone! What could it mean? Groping my
way for a short distance I encountered a walF which
seemed to have a number of niches in it, each occu-
pied by some stone figure. Just then I noticed for
the first time a muffled roar like the distant booming
of the ocean, and, turning with my back to the wall,
I could faintly discern a veritable sea of creatures
surging toward me. On they came, wave after wave,
breaking as it were at my feet, and receding on either
side to give place to others. As my eyes became more
accustomed to the darkness around me I could dis-
tinguish here and there a face or a form which seemed
to stand out more distinctly than the rest.

"The most noticeable things about them were the
expressions of anxiety and the feverish haste of one
and all. Yet there was a vagueness and indefiniteness
even to their forms which made it seem as if they
hardly existed.

"As they hurried forward I noticed that each car-
ried something, which was placed as an offering before
one or the other of the figures in the niches.

"The faces impressed me greatly — or what served
as faces, I had better say, for the features were over-
shadowed by the expressions which shone through
them. As one and another came near me I could
read easily the predominating element in the crea-
ture's life. Here came Fear, followed by the personi-
fication of Hatred, or fleshly Lust; behind I saw Jeal-
ousy approaching, and one and all were pushing for-
ward with such fierce determination to reach his fa-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 147

vorite idol that the weaker ones were crushed and
trampled under foot.

"Suddenly I realized that each was rushing on
without the aid of sight, for all were blind! Not that
the organs of sight were lacking, but because, having
chosen to abide in this dark cave, they had not learned
to use them, and so the 'light of the body' was con-
spicuous by its absence.

"On they came, a stunted, misshapen, repulsive
host!

"It was becoming intolerable and just as I was
about to rush wildly away a Tow, sweet voice arrested
my attention. 'Little one/ it said, 'fear not, but seek
to understand the vision. Have you not guessed that
these who press forward so eagerly are all my chil-
dren, and your brothers and sisters?'

"It was a revolting thought; surely I bore no re-
semblance to these low creatures! I was about to
remonstrate when the voice again broke the silence,
saying, 'Come/ and I gladly followed a guide whom,
though I could not see, I was more conscious of than
of the shadowy forms around me. On all sides I
saw the same sea of faces, the same anxiety and strife,
and I cried out to rest, for the sight had wearied me
greatly. But just then we came to a small opening,
which gave promise of an escape from the awful scene.

"One of the creatures was making an effort to pass
through the opening, but the jagged edges and sharp
corners cut him cruelly, because of the haste on his
part. He drew back with a cry of pain; but, instead

1 i 8 THE P URE CA USE IV A J '

of m ing once more with the throng, he hovered
around the opening with an expression half of anger
and half of longing.

"Before I could question my guide the command
came, 'Humble thyself and go forward with patience
and the cruel edges will not hurt thee/ and to my sur-
prise I found that, if one only stooped a little and
went slowly, there was little difficulty in effecting an
entrance into the next cave, where a semi-twilight
reigned. Sinking down from sheer exhaustion, I
was soon lost in a refreshing sleep.

"On awakening the voice again urged me on and I
gladly set forth at a rapid pace, eager to escape from
these dark regions.

"As before, I found on every hand innumerable
beings or seemings rather, resembling those of the
darker cave, except that their expressions were less
fierce. And I noticed, too, that occasionally, when
a weak one fell in the rush toward the niches, another
rendered him a little assistance in recovering his foot-
ing. As we neared the next opening I realized that
a few of these creatures were accompanying us, one
of whom was encouraged to pass through the small
aperture by a guiding hand from the other side.

"On entering the next realm, which was much
lighter and la ^er than the last, I was struck with the
manifestation of a spirit of helpfulness on the part of
all.

"And now, for the first time, I could detect an oc-
casional flash of light from the eyes.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 149

"As we pressed on from cave to cave I saw that
in each creature there was an element of suffering, as
well as a restlessness which in itself amounted to pain.
And it flashed across me that it was a great blessing
that the inhabitants of the various caves were not
happy, otherwise they would always prefer to stay in
their original condition.

"Another fact that impressed me was that those
who seemed the most highly developed in the various
caves appeared the most lonely and were most apt to
turn toward the light of the realm beyond. 'Will it
always be so?' I queried. 'Will the most highly de-
veloped ones always be lonely because of their great-
ness?' 'Doubtless it seems so to many/ the voice
replied, 'but as they reach out toward the true life
they come into touch with the eternal realities and are
nevermore alone/

"As he spoke we passed through another narrow
opening and stood in the bright light of heaven,
where all is beauty. The sky, trees, flowers, birds and
waters were the same that I had always loved with an
intensity unknown to many. ,

" 'Then it was only a dream — that horrid experi-
ence in the cave!' I exclaimed.

" 'Nay, not so, my child/ came the same quiet
voice. 'It is the racial experience; but, as you have
failed to profit by all of its lessons, this backward
glance has been given that you might better under-
stand the mystery of life. But is this glorious world

150 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

around you no more than you had thought it? Lis-
ten!'

"But even before he spoke I had caught a strain of
music, which proved to be the harmonies of the Uni-
verse. And I knew what it meant. This was not the
music of a material creation, such as I had often fan-
cied I heard in the ripple of a stream or the roar of
mighty waters, but it was the spiritual harmonies
which result from submission to the will of the Uni-
verse. It is the joyous unending chorus of the liber-
ated ones.

"My heart was full and I burst forth in song —
only to awake!

"Around me were my books and papers and the
old, familiar scene of hill and valley.

"It was too disappointing and the tears came be-
fore I knew it.

"The tea-bell at the farmhouse, sounding faintly,
recalled me to humdrum life and I returned to mingle
once more with those whose days are filled with duties
unnecessarily burdensome.

"Called to the city the next day, I had little time
to consider the meaning of my dream, for a week of
great activity ensued, leaving me at its close wearied
and inert.

"Toward dusk one afternoon a restlessness seized
me and I turned from one thing to another to amuse
myself, yet nothing satisfied me. If I took up a book
something came between the page and my eyes and
would not let me read. Sewing was an impossibility,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 151

and finally, turning to the piano, I dashed into a veri-
table war dance, which served to exhilarate me so that
I longed to do some grand thing.

"Curiously enough, as I swung around on the
piano stool my attention was caught by the headlines
of an article denouncing a college professor who was
giving a course of lectures to a gathering of seminary
students. He was accused of being an enemy of the
truth and an unsafe guide to youth.

"Having learned that a venomous attack from a
plutocratic press generally proves that unusual power
exists in the one so favored, I determined to hear the
man for myself, for I felt strangely interested in him.

"Arriving in good season at the church where the
lectures were being given, I had a good opportunity
to study the audience as it assembled.

"It was made up for the most part of students,
instructors and professors, and I gathered from the
conversations around me that the lecturer had been
invited by the seminary students to give them a course
of seven lectures. But their action had been strongly
opposed by their professors on the ground that this
man was a heretic, infidel, anarchist and the like, and
they even threatened to expel those who insisted on
hearing him.

"The majority of the students, however, remained
firm, and so Prof. Davis came, according to the
agreement, though he decided, on hearing of the oppo-
sition, to cut the course down to three lectures in
order to avoid unnecessary ill-feeling.

152 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"This accounted for the attitude of defiance and
antagonism which was so perceptible in the audience
as the lecturer came forward to commence his ad-
dress. I could not but wonder what the outcome
would be, for the speaker's personality was a strange
one to face such a wall of adamant.

"Instead of the stern, austere man that I had
prepared myself to see, here was a gentle, humble,
earnest man, who made me think, as he stood before
these guardians of the oracles of God, of Stephen as
lie witnessed to the heavenly vision before the Phari-
sees and lawyers.

"He stood for a moment seeing the unseen, and
then said, impressively: 'Think not that I came to
destroy the law and the prophets. I came not to
destroy, but to fulfill/

"Then, in the most quiet yet forceful way, he con-
tinued: 'My friends, it has seemed imperative to-night
to speak somewhat on the subject of Christ's glorious
gospel, because of the gross ignorance that prevails in
regard to it.

" 'If asked to state in your own words the purport
of Christ's message, I doubt if a tenth in this audience
could do so. If you say "He came to save us," what
does that mean? How does he save us and from what
and to what?

" 'But it is no wonder that people manifest such
ignorance, for we neglect to inform ourselves from the
right sources. We simply accept as our creed that
which others in past generations have accepted as

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 153

theirs. I constantly hear people say: "The New
Testament is enough for me/' or "The Pour Gospels
are my Bible"; and so thousands who profess a desire
to know God's will deliberately turn their backs on
the Old Testament — the Scriptures which Christ said
testify of him.

" 'The trouble is, we think that our Lord came to
reveal something so much higher than anything the
older writings contain that wre can afford to neglect
them. Consequently we are all astray, thinking that
the New Testament or Will is something other than
the Old.

" 'As a result our prominent churchmen know less
about God's will in relation to our nation to-day than
the prophets of the Hebrew commonwealth appre-
hended. (You should have seen the looks exchanged
among some of the professors! But the speaker con-
tinued fearlessly.) I repeat we do not even know the
truth as it is in the Law and the Prophets, and yet we
flatter ourselves that we know the truth as it is in
Jesus.

" 'Let us turn to the law and see what it is that
Christ said he came to fulfill.

" 'It is too long to quote at length, but the salient
points relate to the land question, the treatment of
the labor problem, the poor, the laws of health, edu-
cation, the family life and worship.

" 'If we were living according to God's land laws
our nation would not present the spectacle which it
does to-day of fifty-one per cent of our people being

154 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

landless and homeless. He commanded: "The land
shall not be sold forever, for the land is mine." We
can steal it from the Lord, but we can never really
own it, for he who knew what was in man knew that
such power as would come from the owning of land
would result in the oppression that we see everywhere
to-day.

" 'Therefore, when the land was portioned out to
the Israelites, it was so arranged that each should
hold some for use, but none might have any for per-
sonal aggrandizement. "For the land is mine" and
might be used by man to build up the race, but not
to oppress the weaker brother.

" 'As to the labor problem, listen to this: "Thou
shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and
needy; * * '* thou shalt not steal, neither deal
falsely; * * * the wages of him that is hired
shall not abide with thee all night until the morn-
ing." And this: "If thou lend thy money to any of
my people * * * thou shalt not be to him as an

usurer."

Tf any so-called Christian nation of to-day
would put these laws into force it would not be pos-
sible for millions to be without the necessities of life
and in slavery to a moneyed aristocracy.

" 'But you say: "It can't be done; our civilization
is too complex. We have passed beyond all that and
what we need now is a broad Christian charity for
all."

" 'I tell you, friends, what we are pleased to call

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 155

charity is an abomination to the Lord, and what the
world needs and the Lord demands of us is simple
justice.

" 'It was because the Hebrews refused to obey
these grand laws of justice that their nation perished.
"He looked for judgment * * * but behold a
cry!"

" 'And as for the complexity of our boasted civiliza-
tion, will you never see that it is complex just because
we have not hearkened unto his commandments,
which were given in order that there might be no
privileged classes, with all the attendant evils?

" 'If you consider those early industrial laws to be
too ideal for our present state then you virtually ad-
mit that we are living at a lower level than was
possible before the coming of Christ, for God does not
mock men by commanding the impossible.

" 'Let us not try to call ourselves a Christian na-
tion till we try to be at least good Hebrews! For it
will be time to ignore the Jewish laws relating to
rich and poor, trade, health and the social life when
we have evolved better ones.

"'But you say: "Christ came to do away with
law, and now we are under the dispensation of grace."

" 'Yet I affirm that he came to help us to see the
eternal principle underlying all the Jewish law, its
history and all of life in fact, and to give us strength
to live in harmony with it.

" 'Christ declared emphatically that he did not
come to destroy the truth revealed either in the law

156 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

or the prophets; yet we misinterpret the incarnation
so frightfully that we end by conceiving of God as
unlawful, unscientific and irreligious.

" 'We think of grace as something opposed to law,
when it is the essence of all law, for what is grace
but love living and suffering for the loved ones?

" 'Another common misconception has to do with
the laws of the Jews in relation to worship.

" 'Like all the nations around them, the Jews,
as a whole, regarded their sacrifices and purifications
as somehow purging them of sin, though the clear
eye of faith saw, even at that time, that "to obey is
better than sacrifice and to hearken than fat of
rams"; and God spoke through prophetic lips the
truth: "For I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the
knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

" 'But just as the Jews looked at their multi-
tudinous sacrifices as a substitute for their own obedi-
ence, men since the Advent have been regarding
Christ's sacrifice as somehow satisfying God with
something less than their perfect obedience to the
principle underlying the law of the Jews.

" 'As a church, or as a nation, we are far from
the truth yet, and we hope that Christ's death will
save us in some magical way, leaving us free to fight
our brother man to death in business, which is as
imbecile as for the Jews to beat the people to pieces
and atone for it by costly sacrifices.

" 'If there had been any efficacy in the sacri-
fices, surely the greater the sin the greater the need

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 157

of sacrifice. Yet men of faith declared at that early
day: "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination
unto the Lord," and "Bring no more vain oblations;
incense is an abomination unto me. * * * When
ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from
you; yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear;
your hands are full of blood/' Note that it was not
the blood of battle, but the blood of a people whose
life was being crushed out of them by an atheistic
order of society.

" 'Now, as formerly, God is calling his people to
repent of their communal sins and honor him in their
associated life; but we, like ancient Israel, shield
ourselves behind the truth that "without the shed-
ding of blood there is no remission of sins," meaning
thereby to imply that Christ is our substitute, instead
of the power that will enable us to obey the law. We
shrink from the obvious meaning of the verse — that
our blood, or life, must be given to bear away the
sins of the world.

" 'God gave the Jews a law which, if it had been
obeyed, would have made them the servants of man-
kind, because God's glory would have been revealed
in them. They chose instead to do what they
thought would advance their material interests and
relied on the sacrifices to atone for their shortcom-
ings, in spite of the unmistakable message of their
prophets.

" 'The prophets saw, as do those of our day, that
God has ever been seeking, not simply a few indi-

158 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

viduals here and there, but a nation in which he could
reveal himself.

" 'There is but one salvation possible for a nation
as well as for an individual. Salvation never was
and never will be a magical thing, for "in righteous-
ness shalt thou be established/'

" 'Away with the idea of substitution! It is
pagan to the core! Jesus himself cannot save us ex-
cept as we walk in the way, uniting to keep "the fast
that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness,
to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed
go free, and that ye break every yoke/'

" 'When the Jews perished as a nation it was
through no arbitrary will of God, but because they
did not choose to incarnate the life of the world in
their national life.

« < ajn Yum jg, life, for of him and through him
and unto him are all things/'

" 'But though the law, the prophets and Christ
himself call us to a life of .sacrifice, we persist in the
atheistic notion that self-preservation is the first law
of nature, and that a practical unselfishness in busi-
ness and social life is madness.

" 'We pretend to believe in him and yet do not
consider his methods adequate to this world of affairs.
The church apologizes for the ideal commands laid
down in the Sermon on the Mount, forgetting that
God himself is ideal, and that "it is enough if the
servant be as his lord/'

" 'And now, when men are realizing as never be-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 159

fore the awful confusion and oppression resulting
from the strife of business and social life based on
selfishness, they are anxiously asking of each other
"What shall we do to be saved ?" The answer comes
back with added force: "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house."
For a vital belief in Sacrificial Love will transform all
life into the beauty of holiness, or wholeness.

" 'God grant that we may learn the lesson of the
law, the prophets and the Lord Christ and unite in
an associated life for man!

" 'Then shall be fulfilled all those promises given
to a nation which shall trust in God for salvation, and
cease trusting in armies and money and strife; and
then will be seen the blessings of the Lord, for "God
shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death
shall be no more, nor crying nor pain any more. The
first things are passed away." '

"In the impressive) silence following the last sen-
tence the majority of the people withdrew rapidly
and I could read in many hearts a cold disdain for the
lecturer and his message.

"But a number of us lingered, having been stirred
as never before, and there followed an open parlia-
ment of the most informal and helpful kind.

"The meeting lasted far into the night, as Prof.
Davis reasoned of righteousness, self-control and
judgment to come. I sat as one in a trance, see-
ing and hearing the hidden wisdom of God, which
none of the princes of this world knew; till finally I

160 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

realized that the place was almost deserted, and one
who was both gentle and strong stood by me with the
light of life in his eyes.

"In an instant the secret of his fearlessness, his
untrammeled vision, his power, was revealed — his was
a soul liberated from the thraldom of self! The
question he asked me opened my eyes to my own un-
conscious double-mindedness. With a glance which
seemed to seize hold of my better self, he quietly put
the test to me: 'What are you willing V His mean-
ing was clear because of the evening's talk, and I was
given strength, then as ever since, to say: 'I renounce
the will of the world — the will to live, and with the
help of the Father-Mother God I will to love/

"Even if it cost you your life?' he queried.

It can cost no less/ I responded. Yet I never
had believed it before. There had always been some
indefinite reservation, some unconscious effort at sav-
ing others and protecting myself at the same time.
But 'my father in the gospel' helped me to see that,
as Christ was unable to save himself if he willed to
save others, so we must renounce entirely the desire
to succeed, live, persist — whatever we choose to call
it — if we truly desire to love.

"Do you not all feel that the time has come for
all those who believe in love to live by it? Do you
not see that Christians have made the mistake of
trying to walk by sight instead of by faith? Have
we not all been hindered in our service of the world
by fearing to lose our lives completely for it? Even

a (-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 161

our best examples of church members feel that there
is a limit to their renunciation. But must we not,
like Christ, love the bruised and fallen, the criminal
and tramp, as well as the tyrants of our land, and love
them unto the uttermost?

"Civilization has reached a great crisis. Our
country, as well as all civilized nations, needs heroes
indeed, men and women who will lay down their lives
for humanity, patriots who will dedicate all they have
and are to the redemption of mankind from the
worldly way of living, the fleshly conceptions of life
and the devil of self-seeking.

"Individualism has practically been discarded by
Industry. It is only a question of time when co-
operation in all forms of business will be the accepted
rule. But few men apprehend the fact that individ-
ualism is dead in the religious world as well as in the
industrial.

"After nineteen centuries of persuasion we are
still hesitating to enter into the love life because of
unbelief. Neither the church nor the world believes
as yet in the Christ economy.

"But Don, Hilman and Florence, in fact all of
us, have seen individuals who have the faith of God.
The question for us is: 'Shall they each be left to
fight the organized will of the world single-handed
or shall we sound the call to arms?'

"Do we not ourselves believe enough in the com-
mon life of humanity to live it unreservedly?"

162 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

An embarrassing silence followed, broken at last
by Staff ord, who said:

"You speak of a common life, Elizabeth. Do
you mean by that that we should bring our shekels to
a common treasury and live on a crust ?"

"How can you speak so lightly, Fred? If we are
not willing to endure all things we certainly haven't
the spirit of Christ. Phariseeism prates as loudly
to-day as ever of its faith in God, when it really has
more faith in its investments and securities and has
proved its viperine ancestry by trying to serve its own
interests as well as God's/5

"Well, but seriously, now/5 replied Stafford, "if
we should drop our business and give all our time to
such things it would only result in failure and we
would be a burden on our relatives into the bargain."

"If our motive were the same as Christ's we could
not fail, 'for love never faileth.' But if you mean
that we would have to suffer I will ask you one ques-
tion: Did Christ ever promise any disciple that he
would be exempt from suffering? The fact that
Christendom to-day draws back from service when
persecution and loss of all things threaten, proves
more than anything else that the love life is not in it.

"The curse of mankind to-day is private property.
It is that more than anything else that hinders the
progress of the race. We regard our private inter-
ests as opposed to the public good, and so we are
always debating with ourselves as to how much we
can afford to give of time ai;d money.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 163

"If we only knew it, we can't afford to withhold
anything. In the babyhood of the race the man who
stole land or grants from the commonwealth, the man
who thought of himself as apart from the tribe, wa<
considered a thief and enemy. Gradually, however,
as a few rose in strength of body and intellect above
the mass, they subjected their brothers to their will,
and private property became honored. But let us
always bear in mind that this state of society is based
on nothing less than conquest and bloodshed. In a
very real sense the blood of our brothers crieth unto
us from the ground. Every soul that holds private
property is a receiver of stolen goods. And when
that fact is once realized there can be no peace till
restitution is made. 'Let him that stole steal no
more, but rather let him labor, working with his
hands the thing that is good, that he may have
whereof to give to him that hath need.5

"The charitable gifts of the landed aristocracy are
not theirs to give. Only such wealth as man pro-
duces by hone&t hand and brain work belongs to him
to give.

"Henceforth the aim of all must be toward hon-
est life rather than toward high life.

"Of course, Fred — (seeing that he was about to
remonstrate) — I admit that the era of private prop-
erty was a necessary and beneficial one, for it devel-
oped the individual and revealed his worth to himself
and to the race.

"But the real object of life is that man may learn

164 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

to possess himself instead of property, and to-day our
boasted civilization thwarts his progress toward the
goal of self-mastery.

"We have turned aside for a time and are wor-
shiping property rights rather than the rights of man.

"And yet we must see that society is given prop-
erty— that the natural world exists — only to minister
unto the spiritual life. We see it so plainly in the case
of a child that it is strange we cannot grasp the fact
in relation to humanity as a whole. What are all
the advantages of home and school life for but the
culture and development of a man? Material things
are in themselves worthless to the child if they do not
develop his higher nature. So, too, in the case of
humanity at large, property is a means to an end, and
that end is not the culture of a few elect ones, but the
culture and perfection of the race.

"We are in a vast and beautiful kindergarten, but
the big children have mistaken the purpose of the
materials used in the object lessons and have de-
liberately usurped control of them, using them
for their own amusement and prestige.

"Government, as we see it to-day, is not necessary
in the primitive communal state of society, but is the
result of a system founded on private property, which
ignores the rights of the weak: legislatures, courts
and policemen are the inevitable concomitants of
usurpation and fraud.

"But tyranny is doomed. Once, long, long ago,
power was wielded by the g^eat person, and the chief

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 165

was the conspicuous character in society; personality,
however, soon sunk to a secondary place in the esti-
mation of the race, and kings and nobles based their
authority on their rank, due to their land-grabbing
abilities; but authority passed on into the hands of
the money kings, and law to-day reflects the will of
the moneyed aristocracy.

"But, even while society at large worships the
golden calf, the real power is passing into other
hands, and Hilman's test has shown us clearly what
many have previously seen with the inner eye — that
the patriarchal, feudal and commercial epochs are
finished. Authority henceforth shall be wielded by
those men and women who recognize but one law and
live for one purpose — the culture of souls.

"It is a well-known fact that the physical man
varies according to his food. And so it is with the
inner man. If he is brought up in an atmosphere
of profit-making he becomes a child of the system
and glories in his ability to extract profits from every
enterprise. It is the high privilege of those who de-
sire to love humanity to the uttermost to unite in
such a way as to make a new atmosphere for men,
women and children. Civilization must advance to
socialization or die, and it will be done by a few show-
ing the way. What matters it if churches, Y. M. C.
A.'s, social settlements, even co-operative societies
multiply, so long as men continue to make profits
out of each other? Our system must be changed

166 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

from the foundation or tyrants will continue to be
cultivated.

"Shall we not join hands in an effort to establish
a new order of society founded on love, and then live
by it?"

Her dark gray eyes were shining with an inner
light and we could not but respond to her persuasive-
ness.

As it was too late to discuss the matter satisfac-
torily, we arranged for another meeting in the near
future at Elizabeth's home, in the lower part of New
York city, and we separated feeling convinced that we
had seen great things that day.

When the evening appointed for our meeting ar-
rived a boisterous storm was raging and each feared
that our gathering would be a small one. However,
one after another appeared till we were all assembled
in the unpretentious, old-fashioned room which
serves as parlor, library and sitting room for the two
hostesses who welcome all visitors so heartily. The
room speaks loudly of its owners, reflecting, as rooms
seldom do, the personality of the inmates. In fact,
it was not the room alone that spoke to me of her
whom I had grown to love so dearly, for the whole
world seemed eloquent with her presence. Sights
and sounds recalled some quality in_her, or_some

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 167

sphere of service, and I could not consider other
matters, for my one thought night and day was cen-
tered in Elizabeth. I could not enter into the ques-
tion of the hour, for there was one supreme question
crushing me to earth: "How can I live without her?"
Since my first consciousness of love I had known that
it was hopeless, I saw clearly that a loving sym-
pathy existed between herself and Don that was more
than ordinary friendship. Yet for months I had
been struggling against my love, with only failure for
my pains.

So that all through the first part of the evening
the subject under discussion was as nothing to me,
and she who has been my greatest blessing would
have been my curse had not an angel come to my
rescue. Prof. Davis, the man whom the world is
stoning with stones and the church is anathematiz-
ing, came to us that evening, and by his fearless,
loving guidance my feet were turned into the paths
of peace. In his presence I saw that much which the
natural man calls love is but selfishness masquerad-
ing as an angel of light, and from that evening I
have tried to yield my will to the will of the Universe,
and love unselfishly.

The discussion that evening turned on the point
whether our association should be that of individuals
scattered throughout the commercial system and liv-
ing by its methods, even though trying not to profit
by it, or whether we should associate in a closer way,
trying to cease from strife, and reveal a life of gen-

168 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

uine brotherhood. And it seemed to us that the
earnest expectation of the creation is even now wait-
ing for the revealing of the sons of God, and that
individuals living the life of brotherhood could go
out from it to preach the glad tidings with greater
power and purity than would be possible when living
by competition. We realized, too, that those who
had property, so called, would thus bear the infirmi-
ties of those who had none, and a consequent suffer-
ing might ensue. Prof. Davis finally put the
question to us: "Are we willing to trust the Father
for our physical needs as well as for our spiritual
ones?"

"Would we have to accept any particular church
doctrine?" asked Grey.

"Can you tell me," responded the professor, "what
conditions of discipleship Christ laid down? The
church since the time of Constantine has emphasized
an intellectual or emotional acceptance of the truth.
Christ insisted on a vital belief in it. Creeds were
not conspicuous till the communal life of the church
was beginning to wane. Christ uses only one test
as to discipleship — 'Ye are my friends if ye do what-
soever I command you/

"The question is will we live the Life?"

"That means, I suppose," replied Hilman, "will
we dedicate all that we have and are toward the one
object of revealing God's will on earth?"

"Yes; and in order to do that we must cease tak-
ing any account of evil, cease all strife and vain-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 169

glory and unite in every way to do all that we do to
the glory of God."

"How wonderfully we are led and prepared for
each step in life!" exclaimed Hilman. "Through
study and experience I have come to see that I really
own nothing — absolutely nothing. My fortune —
what is it but the accumulated labor of other men?
My talents, if I have any, are clearly inherited, and
what would I be if the thoughts and deeds of past
generations, recorded in books and in living men
around me, did not educate me?

"If I own nothing I must surely hold it all only
in trust. The children of the earth have taught us
that by combination one's powers are multiplied
many fold.

"Then let it not be true any longer that the chil-
dren of this world are wiser than the children of
light; but let us by God's strength form a combine or
trust, which shall overthrow and break in pieces all
other trusts, not, however, from a motive of selfish-
ness, but for the glory of God and the salvation of
all."

His voice thrilled with enthusiasm and his dec-
laration of faith and zeal stirred me mightily.

Elizabeth sprang from her chair, and, standing
before us instinct with life and beauty, exclaimed:

"Think of the freedom and power of such an
associated life! And how simple and natural it all is!
We have but to become as little children and in trust-
ful obedience learn of our great Teacher, the Artist of

170 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the world. By humbling ourselves and working out
his methods in our earthly life we will learn of him
the art of arts — the art of living!"

After further consultation as to the best way of
inviting all who wished to enter the life to join us in
our fellowship of service and suffering w£ parted in
peace.

Elizabeth was appointed as one of those who were
to preach the good news of repentance from dead
works to a living faith; and her influence was mar-
velous.

She chose to take for her field that which many
might feel to be the hardest of all — that of the
churches. For the distortions and misconceptions
that abound in the church make it hard for the gospel
of the kingdom to be received by it. But Elizabeth
declared that her experience had led her to believe
that even yet the most unselfish souls, the most ear-
nest workers, and those best adapted to association,
wrere to be found within the circles of church influ-
ence. It was not an easy task, for she was misunder-
stood and persecuted, but as a result large numbers
2 of people, among rich and poor, learned and un-
learned, responded to the call.

Men and women rejoiced in the opportunity of
creating an environment where human flowers could
be cultivated wdth as much care as is now bestowed
upon cattle, thus saying, in a practical way: "How
much, then, is a man of more value than a sheep!"

"And the multitude of them that believed were of

THE PURE CAUSEWAY m

one heart and one soul, and not one of them said that
aught of the things which he possessed was his own,
for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold
them and brought the prices of the things that were
sold and laid them at the apostles' feet."

Thus was made possible a faithful city, which by
its lifting up of the Christ-life will yet be a light to
lighten the Gentiles, who are anxious about material
welfare; for its Righteousness shall go forth as
brightness and its salvation as a lamp that burnetii."

From the first day of our fellowship we have en-
deavored in all things "to be found in peace," "to
cease from strife" and vainglory, and to live for the
world as truly as our Redeemer does.

On reaching the closing paragraph Barrett sat
some time meditating on the experiences of my
friends, and his unconscious criticism was just what
yours probably has been — such a life would be power-
ful for good, but it can't be done while the world is
as it is

Yet he mused over the various characters in the
outline and felt much impressed by the heroism

172 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

which dared to attempt what he considered the im-
possible.

"To think," he exclaimed to himself, "of men
and women nowadays being able to say, like Paul in
speaking of Christ — 'for whom I suffered the loss of
all things!'

"I wonder if the secret of the power of the early
church may not be that instead of its being a matter
of peculiar inspiration it was one of peculiar conse-
cration."

Suddenly he remembered my request that he
should look up the passages I had marked and con-
sider the decision of my friends in the light of the
first followers of the Lord.

Accordingly he turned from one selection to an-
other and read, among others, these words:

" Mesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of
God and sajdng: The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of
God is at hand; repent ye and believe in the gospel/

"'But he said unto them: I must preach the
good tidings of the 'kingdom of God to the other cities
also; for titer ef ore was I sent.'

" 'I say unto you, among them that are born of
women, there is none greater than John; yet he that
is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.5

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 173

•\

"How strange! Surely John was a saved man,
yet he does not seem to have belonged to this king-
dom which Christ came to preach!

" 'Except a man be born from above he cannot
see the kingdom of God/

" 'Passing along by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw
Simon, and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a
net into the sea: for they were fishers.

"'And Jesus said unto them: Come ye after me
and I will make you to become fishers of men.

" 'And straightway they left the nets and followed
him. And * * * a little further he saw James
* * * and John * * * and straightway he
called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the
boat with the hired servants and went after him.

" 'And after these things he went forth and beheld
a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll,
and said unto him: Follow me. And he forsook all
and rose up and followed him/

"'Verily I say unto you except ye turn and be-
come as little children, ye shall in nowise enter into
the kingdom of heaven.

" 'No man can serve two masters. * * *
Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your
life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet
for your body, what ye shall put on. * * * For

174 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

after all these things do the Gentiles seek. * * *
But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you/

" 'It is enough if the disciple be as his master/ v
Thoroughly wearied with the excitement of the
last few days, Barrett pillowed his head on his arms,
intending to think the matter all out for himself.
But it was taken out of his hands, for, dropping asleep,
he received a vision which settled the whole matter
for him.

In his own words this was what he saw and heard:

"Before me spread the beautiful Sea of Galilee

and on the western shore, not far from Capernaum,

I beheld two brawny men casting their net into the

sea.

"Just then I saw one, whom I felt must be the
Loving One, approach them and heard him call to
them to give up their daily occupation and unite with
him in a life of utmost service to the world.

"Andrew stared at Peter and said, sotto voce:
'What a strange thing for him to ask! He probably
doesn't know that we haven't enough saved up to
live upon. Tell him, Peter, how impossible it would
be/

"Meanwhile the great Idealist waited patiently for
the answer of the two earthy fishermen.

THE PI 'RE CAUSEWAY

i 0

"Peter, the impulsive, called across the water that
separated them from the shore, saying: 'Lord, thou
must see how it is with us. We couldn't follow thee
in the sense of dropping everything. But of course
we'll do all we can in the synagogues and in our daily
work to serve thee, for we do truly love thee, Lord!
Oh, row in, Andrew; we must talk it over, so that he
won't feel hurt!' And before the boat grounded
Peter had sprung ashore, saying, as he grasped the
Saviors hands: 'Dear friend, thou must see how
utterly impracticable it would be for us to give up
our means of support. What would become of us and
our families? Surely, Lord, we must have misunder-
stood thee? Why, if thy followers should abandon
their means of livelihood it would bring thy cause
into ridicule as the dream of fanatics P

"The three men were walking back and forth
along the shore and as Peter finished the Lord an-
swered quietly: 'What is that to thee? Folloic thou
me. Shall not the Lord of all the earth do right?
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?'

" 'Oh, my master, thou knowest that I love thee!
I have frankly confessed thy name in the synagogue,
and at home; and I am willing to give, not simply a
tenth, as our father Jacob did, but all that I have
beyond what I need for the support of my family.

176 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

All my spare time and money is at thy service, Lord,
for I do truly love thee/

" 'Whosoever renounceth not all that he hath he
cannot be my disciple. Ye are my friends if ye do
whatsoever I command you/ replied the Lord.

"Andrew, who had been nervously whittling a
stick while this conversation was going on, came to a
standstill and said, in some irritation: 'But, Lord,
we never heard of such a thing! Why, all our best
men, those learned in the law, our teachers and inter-
preters of the Scriptures all say: "Don't be extreme,
nor expect that you are called upon to do differently
from our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They
had faith that God would bring things out all right
in the end, if they did the best they could in their
own walk in lif e." J

"The Savior's eyes, filled with great sadness, wan-
dered over the lake, and after an interval he said:
'Have ye not read how the stone which the builder^
rejected is the only foundation that can be laid? It
is because the temple congregation have built on a
false foundation that the light that is in them is
darkness; and how great is that darkness!

" 'I never hold any man responsible for obeying
the church, even though she professes to build up
Zion; but I do hold you each responsible for obeying

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 177

the truth revealed in me. I am the Way. Walk ye
in it.

" 'I can be the author of eternal salvation only to
those who obey me in all things.

" 'Come, Peter and Andrew, will ye not believe
in me in very truth and follow me to suffering, death
and victory?'

"A moment's hesitation and confusion on the
part of the fishermen was followed by the emphatic
declaration of lack of faith.

" 'Master, we will follow thee in every way we
can, but we cannot give up our business. That is too
much to ask of any one. Of course it is all right for
thee to live without a thought as to thy support, be-
cause thou hast great power and will be cared for
somehow; and then, besides, if thou art the Messiah,
thou must be a sacrifice for us. But as for mere
human beings, it would be folly for us to take life
too seriously or attempt that which only the Messiah
can do/

"The piercing glance of the Lord as he said, 'The
eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth
to show himself strong on behalf of those whose
hearts are perfect toward him/ made both men
wince, and they were about to enter again into argu-
ment when Christ said impressively: 'I am the Way,

178 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the Truth and the Life. He that climbeth up some
other way, the same is a thief and a robber!'

"In a moment he had vanished from their sight
and the two commonplace fishermen turned once
more to their much-prized occupation.

"Another scene followed this, somewhat like it.
John and James, mending their net by the seashore,
saw the Savior approaching and ran eagerly to meet
him. After a few words of greeting Jesus said very
quietly: 'John and James, brought up as you have
been in the fold of the church, you must be aware
that it has been possible always for men to be saved,
as the church calls it, "for in every nation he that
feareth God and worketh righteousness is acceptable
to him."

" 'So, then, it was not necessary for me to come
here in the flesh to save individuals, but I am come
to preach the good news of a kingdom which shall
break in pieces and overthrow every other kingdom.
For all the kingdoms of this world are founded on
some form of selfishness, but in this heavenly king-
dom the corner-stone shall be my life. I am come to
call men and women who believe in my principle of
life into a fellowship with me which shall socialize
and redeem the world.

" 'I am come not to condemn the world, but to

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 179

save the world, in all its aspects, and to redeem it
from the atheistic civilization of the worldly king-
doms into a kingdom of love. Love never faileth;
whereas thou canst see what frightful confusion and
oppression is the result of the self-seeking policies of
the world.

" "The power of God and the wisdom of God in
overturning this enthronement of self is he whom
you know as the Lamb of God; and he can save the
world only as men and women unite to obey Him.

"'What sayest thou, James and John? Canst
thou have faith in the Son of Man?'

"Disappointment and chagrin were manifested in
the brothers' faces as James replied:

" 'Pardon me, Lord, but our church fathers must
know what is right, for they devote all their time to
studying the Scriptures. And they have never ad-
vocated such extreme measures.'

" 'Art thou not awrare that those who have not
the spirit of Christ can wrest the Scriptures to their
own destruction?' said Christ.

" 'It is the world-spirit, both in and out of the
church, that I have come to conquer. Wilt thou join
with me in uplifting the Christ life, that all may be
converted unto it and saved?'

"John said, reluctantly: 'I don't believe I quite

180 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

understand thee, Lord. It sounds as if we were re-
quired to cast everything to the winds and follow
thee in thine own manner of life. Surely thou canst
not demand that we should do that which will make
us a burden on others?'

" 'John, canst thou not see that in the present
system, founded as it is on strife, every man is even
now an intolerable burden on every other man? For
as men have chosen to arrange things one man's suc-
cess is another's failure, and there is none that doeth
good — no, not one. I am asking you to join with me
in revealing the Christ-life of love and co-operation
in the production and distribution of the necessities
of life, so that all men will be able to say: "I believe
in the communion of the saints/'

" 'My brothers, I need you; the poor, tired wan-
dering world needs you. Will you not unite with
me in a fellowship of suffering and obedience?'

"While John cast about for some fitting reply
James remonstrated:

" 'Master, thou dost not seem to understand the
situation. Thy plan is a noble one and will come in
nicely a little later, but it is too ideal for the present.
We mustn't offend men by such a step as that, but
while pursuing our daily occupations we'll do all we
can to educate the people up to such a standard of

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 181

life. Truly, Lord, if thou only knewest the world
of affairs a little better, thou wouldst see how im-
practicable a life thou art proposing. The world
isn't ready for such an ideal life/

"'How can it be?' answered the Savior. Tor
the mind of flesh is enmity against God. It is that
mind which must be overcome. Behold, now is the
day of salvation. Will ye not come unto me that ye
might have life?'

"James somewhat shamefacedly confessed: 'Lord,
this is too high a matter for mere men. For the
present we will do what we can in our own walk in
life, and when we've enough laid by to live on we'll
give all our time to thy cause/

"Then said the Lord, with holy indignation:
'Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say? While ye are in bondage to this world
and its methods ye are yet in your sins!'

"The scene by the lake faded, to be replaced by
the busy Capernaum road, at the point where Levi
was sitting at the receipt of custom, alert, capable,
interested in the affairs of business. The Savior
approached and, going up to Matthew, laid his hand
on his shoulder, saying: 'Leave all and follow me to
death and victory!'

"In amazement Matthew responded: 'Lord, our

182 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

priests and wise men have always taught that our
Messiah was to suffer for us, and thou dost ask that
we suffer with thee. Surely thou dost not expect
mere men to be equal to such things?'

" 'No, Matthew, I am asking thee to receive me,
and so have power to become a son of God instead
of a mere man; for the earnest expectation of the
creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God!

" 'Wilt thou join with me in living out before the
world the heavenly life of God?'

"Keluctantly Matthew responded: 'Well, to be
honest, Fve heard from others of thy strange demand,
and I think it is altogether too ideal, too chimerical
and unsuited to our times. Besides, our church
doesn't believe in any such extreme measures, and
what is good enough for them is good enough for me/

"The Master turned away with tears in his eyes,
saying: 'Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the
prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto her!
How often would I have gathered her children to-
gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not!' "

Barrett concluded by saying: "Suddenly I real-
ized that he was coming straight toward me, his eyes
as of a flame of fire and quick to discern the thoughts
and intents of the heart. As he approached me I

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 183

trembled from head to foot, but not from fear, for
my heart was perfect toward him at last, and, throw-
ing myself at his feet, I cried: 'Lord, I believe; help
thou mine unbelief!'

"As he raised me to my feet he said softly: 'The
first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is of
heaven. Come with me and I will show thee how
many things thou must suffer for my name's sake.

"Yea, the hour cometh, and now is, when who-
soever persecuteth those who unite with me in the
social life shall think that he offered service unto
God.

" 'But be of good cheer, for though while abiding
in the world-life ye have had great tribulation, in me
ye shall have peace/

"As he finished the Savior's face was a vision of
heavenly beauty, and with outstretched arms he cen-
tered my thought on the crucifixion of the self-life,
drawing me irresistibly to himself and his cross.

"With a cry of joy I sprang toward him, and —
awoke, to find myself standing in the middle of the
room alone; yet I was never less alone, for at last I
was in touch with the realities!"

Barrett had come to me in haste, soon after his
strange experience, in order that he might speak of
the things which he had both seen and heard, and

184 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

as he related his vision with glowing cheeks and
shining eyes I involuntarily contrasted his confes-
sion of faith with the halting, formal (I am almost
tempted to say shamefaced) witnessing in our re-
ligious meetings of the various churches.

If no words had voiced Alan's conviction, his face,
radiant with joy and peace, would have spoken for
him. From that hour the unity of the whole man
was restored and he himself was the best proof of the
"hope which maketh not ashamed."

After awhile he said: "But when can I see the
wonderful city that you spoke of, whose builder and
maker is God?"

"To-morrow, if you say so. We must take quite
a trip. Can you leave on such a short notice?"

"Of course I can," he replied. "My one business
in life now is to follow on to know the Lord." And
there was such a happy ring in his voice that it
seemed almost as if he had laughed.

So we agreed to start for our destination in the
central part of New York state about eleven o'clock
the next day, and then separated for the night.

PAET II.
THE SEEVANT OF JHVH.

PART II.

THE SERVANT OF JHVH.

The next day was Saturday and we had arranged
to reach our objective point about four o'clock in the
afternoon. After leaving the cars we drove about
two miles through the woods, the road ascending
gradually all the way.

Finally we came out on high, open ground, from
which we had a fine bird's-eye view of the city to
which we were bound.

The term "city" is a misleading one, for to the
modern mind it means such a crowding together as
renders any real beauty of nature or architecture
impossible. It means, too, dirt, noise, confusion,
malodorous smells, continual haste and anxiety.

In none of these respects is ours a city. Never-
theless we use the term advisedly, for we know that
in time the modern abominations of desolation shall
disappear, and just as our small local city was born
of God, the New Jerusalem coming down out of

187

188 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

heaven shall be the city of the world, realized when
the prayer that Christendom has prayed and not be-
lieved is answered: "Thy kingdom come on earth,
and thy will be done on earth as in heaven"

As I drew rein, there lay our beloved city before
us in peace and beauty, the simple, unpretentious
homes scarcely visible from our height, because of
the grand old forest trees abounding everywhere, and
even the four main thoroughfares, which are as broad
as the grandest boulevards of the world, were not
conspicuous for the same reason.

As we sat there we were facing directly westward,
and the city below us might be said to be doing the
same, as it is situated on the eastern end of a beau-
tiful lake, and the bright blue waters are a center of
attraction.

The high land from which we were gazing slopes
downward quite rapidly till near the base of the hill,
where we could discern in amongst the trees which
cover the lower part of it an immense amphitheater
cut out of the hill in such a way as to face the lake
west of us. Starting from this amphitheater, and in
a direct line from where we sat, one of the four main
boulevards of the city stretches in a straight line to
the center of the community, where stands a massive

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 189

gray stone building constructed in the shape of a
Greek cross.

The boulevard spreads out here into a wide open
space encircling this building, and then continues in
the same direction as before till it reaches the lake
shore, where it again widens out in two directions,
leading around the lake on both sides, though these
arms soon dwindle to the width and appearance of
the usual country road.

We could also trace the other three boulevards,
one cutting the Grand Boulevard at right angles at
the central building and the other two bisecting these
at the same point, forming eight angles at the center,
each of forty-five degrees, and all extending to the
outer limits of the city. Though we could not see
it clearly from where we sat, it will aid you to see the
place in imagination to say that all the other im-
portant streets were in the shape of circles, having
for their common center the Building of the Cross,
so that the bare plan of the main thoroughfares would
be something like a huge spider's web.

Barrett was lost to everything except the scene
before him and by following his eyes I knew when
he had noted not only what has been described, but
also the clusters of large workshops, dairies and so

190 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

forth which are located at the termini of all the four
boulevards except the one leading to the lake.

But of all the points of interest the grand build-
ing at the heart of the city seemed to attract him
most, and no wonder!

It is built of the best gray stone, in a style of
architecture which in its grace, freedom and grandeur
reminds one somewhat of the world's noblest ef-
forts, built before man's artistic nature was smoth-
ered by the profit-making spirit of commercialism.

The plan and execution of this unique work of
art impresses the beholder with the spirit of the
builders. Surely those who had a hand in the pro-
duction of such beauty are genuine artists, free from ,
anxiety, and with, time enough to perfect everything.

Alan Barrett finally turned to me with his singu-
larly charming smile and said: "Now tell me all
about it. What is the building at the heart of the f
city? It looks grand enough for a cathedral, but
it doesn't look like any ancient or modern one I
know of."

"It is, nevertheless, the grandest meeting place
of God and man yet realized on earth," I replied,
"for there we commune with him both in work
which builds up mankind, and in worship which
is a real communion of the saints.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 191

"The audience hall in the center of the building
is in the shape of a regular octagon, four sides of
which form the starting points for the wings of the
building, which make the cross; and the other four
sides contain beautiful windows, which serve to ad-
mit plenty of light and fresh air. This hall is the
place where all our large public meetings are held
when the weather does not permit the use of the
amphitheater right at our feet.

"The four wings of the building are devoted to
the printing and publishing of our city, as well as
furnishing a center for all literary and educational
interests.

"But we must drive on or we will be late to tea,"
and even as I spoke men and women could be seen
leaving the business buildings and strolling home-
ward in happy groups.

"Why, it isn't six o'clock. They surely can't be
stopping work already?"

"Yes; they are through for the day," I answered,
"although it is only five instead of six o'clock.

"And, what is more, we are thinking seriously of
stopping work at four hereafter. You see, when all the
people work, not for money-profit but simply for the
needed things, and when all co-operate in the making

1<)2 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

of them, there is enough made in much less time than
you would think.

"Even in the worldly way, of competition, one
man, with the aid of machinery, is able to make in
one week enough cloth to supply a village for a year.
He produces much more wealth than he really needs
or gets. But there is a general belief that mankind
is better off when slaving to make cheap and often
adulterated goods, which may be sold for more than
they cost to make, than he would be in making only
such things as rational human beings want, and those
of genuine and fitting quality. So, by this singular
arrangement, a money-profit is made which is about
as much use to a healthy normal man as so much
coal dust. For what more does he want than the
necessary things? Of course you and I know that
by the competitive system, with its worship of metal-
profit, the vast majority never gel; the necessities, and
a few, by means of greater cunning and superior
advantages, are able to get and hold control of the
masses.

"But when men can stop killing each other long
enough to think sanely and independently they will
see that if they would only agree to be 'found in
peace5 instead of in strife, they could each have all
that is needed to build up a man physically, men-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 193

tally and morally; and what, then, would he want of
gold, silver or tin?"

As we were chatting I had driven straight down
the Grand Boulevard leading westward from the am-
phitheater, till we had reached the second circular
street. Then, turning to our right, we drove through
it, crossing two other boulevards, and then, turning
into a narrow wood road which winds among the
natural forest trees, we reached my headquarters in
ample time to make ready for tea.

Jumping out, I led the way across the long, wav-
ing grass to the dearest little cottage on the grounds.
At least so it seemed to me, nestling in among the
grand old trees, in striking contrast to the unbear-
able sky-scrapers of New York!

As we entered the large, cheery room which serves
as general sitting room, library and hall, I said:
"Welcome, brother, to all we have and are. As long
as you wish, this home is yours; and here come some
others who will welcome you, too."

While speaking we had stepped out again onto
the wide, shady, rustic piazza, from which we can
catch quite a glimpse of the sparkling lake in the
distance, and were just in time to meet my two
chums, Hilman and Wentworth.

As they bounded up the steps it seemed to me as

194 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

if I had never seen finer specimens of vigorous man-
hood. They were returning from the work of the
day, and in place of the drawn, weary looks seen in
those returning from the uncertain and profitless toil
of the world, their faces were glowing with health,
and vivacity and energy were revealed in every
feature.

They gave Alan a hearty greeting and after a few
moments' conversation Hilman remarked that there
was none too much time to prepare for tea, which led
Alan to infer that we bachelors actually did our own
cooking. A good round laugh followed his query in
regard to it, while Wentworth explained: "You don't
really suppose that each home in our city slaves away
individually on matters that can be done so much
better by co-operation, do you? You shall see, 0
man of the world, what we gain by joining our forces.

"But come; here's your room and I hope you will
be able to wash away the dirt of the world so as to
clear your eyes for a vision of beauty such as those
who exist by strife and pretense cannot even imag-
ine."

In a moment we had scattered to our rooms and
soon reappeared refreshed and eager for a hearty
meal. -'•■-..'

"WhereV Winter?" I asked, "He will be late."

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 195

"No," explained Hilman; "he has started on a
lecturing tour and won't be back for a month — poor
fellow. Fm sorry, too, for your friend will miss a
good deal in not meeting him."

A walk of about fifteen minutes, through foot-
paths that wind prettily among the trees far enough
away from each home to insure privacy to all, brought
us to a large, oval-shaped building, with wide piazza
encircling it. The foundation is of uncut stones,
gathered when the woods were cleared of underbrush,
the framework of gray shingles, and the whole of
soft, natural colorings that blend nicely with the
surrounding greens.

On entering the dining hall one is immediately
struck by the fact that the interior of the oval. struc-
ture is circular, which is caused by enough being cut
off from the oval to allow for kitchen and pantries.

: We were quite early, and so, passing in, we strolled
over to the fountain in the center, where rocks, ferns
and flowers add greatly to the beauty of the room.
Seating ourselves on a low divan by the water, we
could easily see the lake as it glimmered through the
pines which surrounded us. In fact, we seemed even
yet to be in the woods, for the wall of the hall is so
arranged as to make it possible for us to be practically
outdoors— except in inclement weather. And. the

196* THE PURE CAUSEWAY

high arched roof and graceful pillars give a sugges-
tion of airiness and freedom which is a restful influ-
ence all through the meals.

"There's one thing that puzzles me greatly," said
Barrett. "How is it possible in this weak and sickly
generation for so many people to agree to eat in such
a finely ventilated place as this? One of the many
good things that civilized man is afraid of is fresh
air. How do you account for this out-of-door dining
room?"

"That's easy enough explained. Our aim is to
make all the conditions such that we may have the
abounding physical life of the wild animals. And
as continual pure air is one of the necessities, we in-
sist on that in all our public gatherings, many of
which are really held in the open air.

"But in case of any one coming among us so af-
fected by the unnatural conditions of his past life as
to be made uncomfortable here, he is at perfect lib-
erty to eat at home, in the ordinary lifeless way. You
will soon find that here the perfect liberty exists that
is the result of the spirit of Christ. But you will also
find that that spirit influences each one powerfully
toward natural healthy living.

"And it does not take one long after coming
among us to get so in touch with Mother Nature as

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 197

to be able to appreciate and benefit by her many
blessings."

While we were chatting the room had filled
rapidly and Hilman now led the way to our cozy
round table near the center, and, remaining standing,
we were soon joining heartily in a thanksgiving
hymn. There is no faltering or dragging, no sug-
gestion of half-heartedness or physical weakness in
our songs of praise; but instead the very rafters ring
with the joyous music. The strains of the hymn had
hardly died away when every head was bowed in
simple and silent prayer to the "Giver of all good
gifts."

As we were seating ourselves I saw tears in Alan's
happy eyes, so touched was he by the sincere com-
munion between the children and the common
Father.

All during the supper hour snatches of earnest
conversation, on higher topics than food or personal
peculiarities, such as one often hears in the world,
were audible, but for the most part merriment pre-
vailed. It interested me to see how amazed Barrett
was when Leta came to serve us. Naturally in a
civilization that exalts idleness and luxury one looks
down upon those who work. But we believe in the
aristocracy of labor, and honor those only who can

198 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

say, as our Savior did, "I am among you as one 'who
serves." Consequently we lack the useless lady, but
are instead blessed with women such as God con-
ceived.

Barrett's innate delicacy prevented his broaching
the subject during the meal and his manhood re-
vealed itself in his respectful bearing toward our little
waitress.

After the meal we chatted some time on the
piazza, where Barrett met many of our brothers and
sisters, and seemed so well entertained that we would
have spent the evening there if Wentworth had not
urged us to hear the music at the lake front.

He is passionately fond of singing and belongs
to the picked chorus of our fellowship, which meets
twice a week in pleasant weather on the plaza at the
foot of the Grand Boulevard. Accordingly we three
boarded the cars, which travel a winding route, in
ever-narrowing circles, to the Building of the Cross,
where a loop takes them back again over the same
circular course. As we were not bound for the cen-
ter, we jumped off as the car came to the lake, and
strolled across the wide open space that has been
cleared of most of its trees. The grass at this place
is kept closely cut and is of such a brilliant green as
to resemble moss. For the most part, except around

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 199

the public buildings, the grass and trees are left in
their natural beauty, so that our homes, scattered
artistically through the woods, resemble more the
summer residences of a mountainous region than the
typical suburban home. Only the underbrush and
such trees have been cleared away as were neces-sary
to admit enough sunshine.

In the center of the plaza is an open-air accom-
modation for the chorus to which Wentworth be-
longs, and also for a large orchestra. The music can
be heard to advantage for a long distance, though
most prefer to hear it while strolling by the water or
resting near it. We chose a cozy nook, which gave
us a good view of the whole scene, and between the
sights and sounds which greeted us it seemed like a
dream of beauty.

After returning from the confusion and noise of
New York it always takes me some time to realize
that I am still in the body when surrounded by such
perfect peace and joy as we have here.

As groups of people came within view their free-
dom and grace of carriage, and their wholesomeness
of face and figure made it seem hardly possible that
they were of one blood with the nervous, self-con-
scious-, awkward people I had left that morning.

The whole scene gave the impression of a holiday

200 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

among a race of beings who knew the meaning of
dignity, beauty, generosity and simplicity.

We had been sitting for some time without ex-
changing a word, when, in an interval of music,
Barrett broke the silence by saying: "You say that
each is left perfectly free to eat, what and when and
where he chooses. I have been observing the cos-
tumes of these citizens and am wondering whether
there are not some limitations imposed, as it does not
seem to me likely, that unless such were the case,
there would be such a general air of simplicity. Tell
me, how is it managed?"

"Perhaps this would be a good time to tell you
somewhat about our common life, in which we are
trying to conduct things so as to be able to say, like
the early Christians: 'We wrong no man, we corrupt
no man, we take advantage of no man/ But first I
want you to tell me what has been your impression
of it so far. Does it savor of limitation or freedom,
of meagerness or fullness, of sameness or variety? In
short, does it seem to stifle and distort the highest
instincts of mankind, or does it tend to develop thern
into life and beauty?"

"One sentence has rung in my head ever since my
first contact with these citizens: 'When Christ, who is
our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 201

him be manifested in glory/ For here I see in men
and women much that approaches the delicacy, vari-
ety, beauty and strength — in a word the glory — of
God revealed in Nature.

"Still, how is it possible, if each is allowed per-
fect freedom in his affairs, that none should mistake
license for liberty? Surely joining the brotherhood
does not make men and women perfect either i i heart
or intellect?"

"In the first place," I replied, "no one can be
willing to suffer the loss of all things for Christ un-
less his heart is perfect — that is, sincere toward God.
But, as I think you meant, we certainly have to grow
in grace (which is love realizing itself irf all affairs
of life) and also in the knowledge of the truth; and
so in all things, which of course includes dressing,
eating and working, we are following on to know the
Lord.

" 'Even Christ pleased not himself;' so we, as a
body of believers in the life of sacrifice and service
for the uplifting of the whole man, deny fleshly lusts
and strive earnestly to do all to the glory of God.

"Certain principles are plain enough to provoke
no argument, such as the indisputable fact that
men, women and children should so dress as to leave
the body perfectly free for its fullest possible de-

202 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

velopment and use; or that no food should be taken
into the body which cannot minister to its welfare.
We believe also that no work should be undertaken
by man which tends in the least degree toward his
physical, mental or moral deterioration.

"Where men do not live for pretense or self-
gratification much work that seemed formerly to be
necessary is cast aside as worthless.

"And where arduous work, or very unpleasant
work, still seems necessary, the hours and conditions
are made such as to reduce the nervous or physical
strain to a minimum.

"But to return to the subject of dress. First we
agree that it must be edifying, for the physical man
must be built up to its highest possible attainment;
then, learning from God's book of nature, we judge
that it must be as beautiful as the commonwealth
can afford for all.

"Many who come to us are aware of the fact that
the sordid commercial system of the world has cor-
rupted and dwarfed their artistic nature; and so they
gladly avail themselves of the aid of our men and
women who have chosen to devote their artistic tal-
ents to the proper clothing of the body."

"Stop a minute/' exclaimed Alan. "How do you
get around that verse, 'Take no thought for your life,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 203

* * '* nor yet for your body, what ye shall put
on'?"

"Well, in the first place, we don't try to get around
it. We are trying in our communal life to obey all
those neglected commands given in the Sermon on
the Mount. For instance, many martyrs in the world
are bending all their energies, resisting evil, trying
to cope single-handed with Caesar's realm. Whereas
Christ said, 'Kesist not the evil,' and we are trying
unitedly 'to take no account of evil/ to repudiate
selfishness and self-seeking in every form and build
our faith on the positive creative force of love.

"In that wonderful discourse on the mount Christ
is urging the children of faith to give up walking by
sight, leaning on such props as bank accounts, life
insurances, superior powers of self-aggrandizement
and the like, to cease being anxious about food and
raiment and devote their lives to establishing a com-
munal life which will develop all men into the
beauty of the Christ-life.

"Our Savior is contrasting the earthy method of
anxiously seeking place and possesssions (as the ma-
jority of church members are doing to-day) with the
Christ-life of complete self-renunciation.

"He says plainly, in the sixth chapter of Matthew,
the Gentiles — those who are moved by the world-

204 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

spirit of strife and self-seeking — are axious about
food, raiment and material support; in a word, they
walk by sight. 'But be ye not like unto them
* * * But seek ye first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness/ Make your life object the estab-
lishment of the Kingdom of Peace, which shall break
in pieces and overthrow all other kingdoms.

"Millions of discouraged men, hopeless women
and destitute little ones are waiting for the children
of faith to dedicate their whole lives to the redemp-
tion of creation from the selfish to the sacrificial
life of love.

"Wherever a body of believers try to do all things
— not simply what the world calls religious activities
— to the glory of God, all these things (which the
Father knows we need) are added unto us. Our citi-
zens have determined to believe the Father when he
says: 'I am the Lord thy God, which teachest thee
to profit, which leadest thee by the way that thou
ehouldst go/

"And so we 'seek not our own profit/ as those who
engage in the industrial warfare, but rather do we seek
by co-operation 'the profit of many/

"As to the important matter of dress, we find
that the men and women who have been saturated
by worldly ideas and customs are so dwarfed in

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 205

mind and body that our first work must be to break
the bars of their yokes. They are therefore required
to pass one year as novitiates., in which they must
dress in simple, light clothing, which leaves the body
perfectly free. They must eat nourishing food at
proper intervals and order their whole life so as to
make possible the highest physical and mental de-
velopment. This frees, them from the thraldom of
unnatural habits and false ideals; and at the end of the
year, if they still are sincere in their wish to be one
of us, they are left entirely to the guidance of the
Spirit of Life in their eating, drinking and dressing.

"And you would be surprised to see how free our
women are from all anxious thought about clothes.
Our consecrated artists can relieve them of worry,
for their taste supplies any want in such matters,
and, as all the clothing is made by those best adapted
to such work, the majority are entirely free from the
burden of providing individually for the covering of
the body.

"We do not make any material that is shabby or
uselessly handsome. But we do make thoroughly
good material of great variety, so that we may be
dressed fittingly for our work and recreation.

"And the principles of health and beauty are

206 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

respected, while pretentions adornment is relegated
to the vulgar self-seekers.

"You would te amazed to see the change in one
short year from nervous, awkward, meager life to
rounded, erect figures, well poised and full of grace,
capable of twice the work of the former apology for
man or woman.

"But they say objective teaching is the most im-
pressive, so Fll let you learn as to such matters by
means of your eyes; and now let's start for home, for
if I am tired you certainly must be. Suppose we
take a spin on these wheels."

We were close by the bicycle stand, at. the foot of
the boulevard, and, picking out two unchecked
wheels, we mounted and were off. .

As we rode slowly around our home circle Barrett
made the remark that so many of our visitors make,
saying: "It must be quite an expense to the society
to maintain those grand evening , concerts, as they
charge no admission. How do you manage it?"

. "Old boy," I exclaimed, "when will you learn
that this is not a money-making concern? What
good would money do people who have all, abso-
lutely all -that they need? . This is a concern which,
aims at the making of men and women, and we be-

THE PC RE CAUSEWAY 207

lieve that godliness is profitable to all men, and is
the only real profit in the Universe.

"Even Paul saw the mockery of the atheistic com-
mercialism of the world and hit trie nail on the head
when he said:

" "The love of money is the root of all kinds of
evil (in speaking of the church this was said) which
some reaching after have been led astray from the
faith, and have pierced themselves through with
many sorrows. But thou, 0 man of God, flee these
things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness/

"So then we are fighting the good fight of faith,
instead of fighting each other, and the result is that
our communion is able to produce, under proper con-
ditions, all we need for our support; and enough time
remains to turn our attention to the development of.
the aesthetic side of man's nature.
- "Those who have the gift of song are more than
repaid by the opportunity to use it for others' as
well as their own enjoyment . . .

"Everything we are, as well as everything we
have, is for the benefit of all."

"Is that why the wheels were at our disposal?"

"Certainly. The common life produces the com-
mon wealth, which is for all. Those wheels you

208 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

noticed that were checked had been ridden to the
place and were to be returned by the riders to the
starting point. The checking simply means indi-
vidual responsibility, not ownership. And here we
are at home again. You had better turn in as soon
as possible, for you look thoroughly tired out.
Wouldn't you prefer to sleep late in the morning?"

"That depends upon what I would miss by so
doing/' Barrett replied. "I must be back home by
Friday and so want to redeem the time."

"Well, I wouldn't have you miss our Sabbath
morning gathering for anything. But that necessi-
tates breakfast at half-past six, as we meet at seven,
so you'd better hurry right to bed. No; don't ask
any questions. Wait and see."

So saying, in spite of his protestations against
such early rising, I inarched him off to bed and left
him to his own conjectures.

His opinion as to our Sabbath of rest is best told
by himself in a letter written to his mother. After
recounting his experiences in coming among us, he
goes on to say:

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 209

"You know my procrastinating tendencies and so
will not wonder that I did not arise immediately on
being called. While lying in a deliciously dozy state
I was suddenly aroused by an inspiring blast of
sweet-toned trumpets.

"Bounding from bed, I dressed hastily and hur-
ried out into the sitting room, but, finding it empty,
I sprang out across the piazza and down the steps,
hoping to catch my friends somewhere, when Mar-
tin's cheery voice caused me to turn. 'Hey, there !'
he called. 'We're going, too. Won't you wait for
us?' and as I turned back to the end of the piazza,
where he was sitting, he assured me that there was
still time enough for me to eat the breakfast awaiting
me in the sitting room.

" 'Oh, so you breakfast at home, do you?' I asked.
'No, indeed, sir,' came the quick reply. 'We enjoy
our social meals at the hall too much to lose one un-
necessarily. But we serve only two meals a day there,
one at eleven and one at six.' 'So!' I exclaimed.
'So you are on the monastic order, after all!' I was
ashamed the moment the words were spoken, and,
with that wonderful dignity and earnestness that lies
beneath all their fun here, Wentworth explained that,
as they were trying in every way to serve the Creator
instead of the creature, and as the majority of the

210 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

believers had come to the conclusion that God had
built our bodies so as to do their best work on two
meals a day, they accordingly planned for only two
meals to be served by the commonwealth.

"If, however, individual members should feel that
they could serve better on three meals, after having
tried the plan of two a day for the novitiate year,
they are at perfect liberty to provide the third one in
their own homes.

"And he says they have never had a case yet where
a year on the two well-cooked, varied, hearty meals
was followed by a return to the three! Of course in
the case of visitors an early meal is supplied because
of their previous habits.

"But now I must tell you about the most beauti-
ful and helpful service, or gathering (for here they
call their whole life a service) I have ever attended.

"At a second blast of the trumpets we all started
out on foot, making a short cut by way of footpaths
through the woods, between homes of such simplicity
and comfort as I have never seen, till, after crossing
two main boulevards and three circles, we came out
on the Grand Boulevard not far from its eastern end.
Hosts of people were passing onward toward the vast
amphitheater, so that it resembled an impressive
parade. As the foremost ones reached a group of

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 211

men just outside of the opening to the seats, these
men raised to their mouths the beautiful silver trum-
pets I had heard twice before, and, sounding the
opening strains of a hymn, the great processional
joined in the grandest chorus I have ever heard, pass-
ing quietly to their proper places, while others came
following on. As we stood facing down the boule-
vard, commanding a fine view of the approaching
throng amid the majestic trees of the avenue, it
seemed to me more inspiring than any sight on earth.
The trumpeters lead the people, but, contrary to
worldly churches, the people are led, and the whole
congregation is the church choir!

"How I wish you could hear these people sing!
They are not only instinct with life and feeling, but
they are trained in music. Instead of families rent-
ing pews, and the usual result of exclusiveness and
respect of persons, each member in this glorious city
sits according to the part taken in the chorus, unless,
of course, in case of children too young to carry a
part. They generally, if not always, sit with their
mothers.

"I had been impressed with the costumes of my
friends on first seeing them in the morning, and felt
sure that they meant something more than mere Sun-
day clothes; for, while of fine material, there was noth-

212 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

ing dressy about them, and, as to color, Wentworth's
was a pure soft, light brown, while Martin's and Hil-
man's were of dark gray, exactly alike. When the
congregation was assembled in place the effect of the
whole was a beautiful symphony in color. These
citizens believe in beauty, but not in individual dis-
play; hence artistic souls have so planned the various
sections as to produce a satisfactory blending of all
of God's most beautiful colors. By this plan nothing
distracts the thoughts, either in preparing for or while
at the service, and yet the depressing influence of a
uniform or costume is avoided. Hilman and Martin,
being tenors, wore the same color, as all one section
is a mass of pure color.

"At the close of the processional the congregation
knelt in silent prayer, and then followed a glorious
hymn of praise, which was 'sung from a full heart
fervently' and without hooks.

"It was praise, worship and prayer all in one.
Such singing has never been heard in the world.
(You see, I've fallen into the Bible phraseology, as
I cannot but see that in Christ's sense these people
are not of the world.)

"Then came a responsive exercise, the leader and
congregation reciting alternate verses, beginning at
the fifteenth chapter of St. John and ending at the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 213

seventeenth verse; and, Mother, coming as it did from
doers of the word, it seemed like a new teaching alto-
gether.

"I wish, oh, how I wish I could give you some
idea of how full and joyous life seems to me now!
And how I long to take my part toward hastening
the great deliverance from the kingdoms of the world
into the Kingdom of Love.

"Mother, at heart I am already one of these citi-
zens; but I must return to you before joining them
in order to persuade you all to join with me. How-
ever, I cannot wait to see you, and so must try to
give you some description of this beautiful day of
rest.

"You see, these citizens of the commonwealth are
not worn out when Sunday comes, and so they are
able by a change of activities to rest in the Lord
alway.

"Here you will not find a separate class of preach-
ers, but those who have the gift of speech are called
upon to present the thought of the day, and later it
is taken up and discussed by all in open parliament.

"The Bible is here studied in earnest, and the
speaker this morning took it for granted that before
the afternoon meeting the members would carefully
re-read the entire book of Kevelation and come pre-

214 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

pared to give an analysis of it. He then directed our
attention to the thirteenth and fourteenth verses of
the sixteenth chapter and read impressively the
words: Tor I saw coming out of the mouth of the
dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out
of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean
spirits, as it were frogs. For they are spirits of
devils working signs; which go forth unto the kings
of the whole world, to gather them together unto
the war of the great day of God, the Almighty/

" 'Bearing in mind that it is the war of the Al-
mighty, the unfailing one, what think you is the
great day c e God" P he asked.

The speaker then gave a brief outline of this most
neglected book, showing it to be a dramatic represen-
tation of the real 'War of the Worlds.' It is the
greatest allegory of the world yet written. John,
having purified his soul by obeying the truth, is shown
by the Spirit that from the beginning of time there
have been just two forces at work in this creation —
one which tends toward deterioration, disintegration,
death; the other making for development, com-
munion, life.

"The latter force being not simply (to quote
Herbert Spencer) as primordial as the principle of
self-interest, but existent from eternity.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 215

"This is the meaning of 'the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world/ for self-sacrificing Love
is the Cause, Sustainer and Peri ecter of all things.

"St. John, because of having the single eye,
sees into the hidden things of life and beholds the
world-spirit, the great red Dragon, warring contin-
ually- against the life-giving Spirit, which in time will
deliver the whole creation from the kingdoms of this
world into the Kingdom of Love.

"In the book so fittingly named the Eevelation,
John tries to show us pictorially that the history of
the world is but 'one death grapple in the darkness
'twixt old systems and the Word/

"In order to make this struggle between darkness
and light patent to all people, John is not contented
with one word picture, but resorts to varied symbols
and many graphic pictures, all portraying the same
thing. Therefore, failing to realize that he has told
the same story in different ways, we are puzzled, tak-
ing the entire book as one connected account. But,
nevertheless, two facts stand out clearly all through
the wonderful imager}7 — he shows us clearly the
domination of the Dragon over the sons of men, the
Adams, who are of the earth earthy; and, on the other
hand, we see Love calling men in every possible way
to give up the self-life and be born from above into

216 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

the eternal life. From time to time the heralds of a
higher life have called men everywhere to repent of
their selfishness and low ambitions; and these men
and their followers are the prophets and martyrs of
God.

"But in spite of their testimony the mass of men
say: 'What is the Almighty that we should serve him?'
And because of their opposition to the law of the
Universe they necessarily suffer one torment after
another.

"The first task set for the race is the subjection
of the natural world, and we see man falling into the
error of thinking that nature exists merely to minis-
ter to his pleasure. Consequently he becomes en-
slaved, worshiping as he does one ideal of pleasure
after another. John pictures these ideals as beasts
which reign over the world at different periods, and
which man imagines will give all things into his hand.
While flattering himself that he is conquering all
things and subduing them unto himself, John shows
us that man is really in thraldom to the Dragon,
Selfishness.

"But man, blind as yet to the realities of life,
seeks some form of pleasure, at whatever cost it may
be; and as a result 'the bowls of wrath' are poured out,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 217

not because of the wrath of an arbitrary God, but
because of the natural consequences of sin.

"So John depicts the reign of the various beasts,
whom he describes as appointing the kings who
tyrannize over men. In the mad rush for power the
nations submit to the rule of one ideal after another,
and 'they are scorched with a great heat' and are
even 'made to drink blood/ Yet the children of earth
glory in their abject slavery, saying often to them-
selves: 'Who is like unto the beast, and who is able
to make war with him?'

"All through the ages individuals here and there
responding to the influence of love tried to call men
everywhere to repent; but, though some good had
been accomplished by prophets, it remained for a hody
of believers to cope with some degree of power with
the subjects of the Dragon. For a time this body
gave promise of eventually overcoming the Dragon,
as well as his emissaries, the beasts.

"But, after seeming to be well-nigh invincible, this
saintly body succumbed to the temptation which our
Savior met and conquered — that of fighting the
world-spirit with worldly weapons. Because of the
blasphemy and power of the beast, the church of the
living God 'changed their glory for that which did

218 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

not profit' and it was given unto the world-spirit to
make war with the saints and to overcome them.

"Since the time of Constantine, the church as an
organization has lost its original power, and, as John
foresees, one plague after another smites the sons of
men because of their refusal to obey the law of life.
Light has been sent us from time to time shining
through individuals and showing us the way of es-
cape from the plagues. But because of the price it
costs, and the intrenched selfishness of man, John
writes the telling clause, 'They repent not of their
works/ and 'Men gnaw their tongues for pain, and
they blaspheme the God of heaven because of their
pains and their sores/

"God has been trying to teach us that we are
members one of another; and the children of God see
clearly that for any soul to desire an individual sal-
vation while the mass of men are in torment would
be the epitome of sin, which is selfishness.

"Therefore the seers, whether recognized by the
church or not, have been voices in this wilderness,
calling men everywhere to repent and unite to do
God's will.

"No matter how long it takes for the self-willed,
blinded sons of men to learn the lesson, God will yet
teach the world that He came here in the flesh, 'not

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 219

to condemn the world, but that the world might be
saved f and He 'who willeth that all men should be
saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth/ is
showing us as fast as we are able to learn it that a
social salvation is the object of his redemption. Way
back in the days of Israel God warned them that it
was not enough for a few souls here and there to
serve him. Israel as a nation, a body of believers,
must obey the law, founded as it was in Love, or the
result would be oppression and torment for the mass
of men. In this day, when the weary producers of
the wealth of the world have barely enough for mere
existence, we can appreciate the warning as to what
would be the result of mere spasmodic and individual-
istic efforts to conquer the evil of the world; for, after
nineteen centuries, we see the triumph of the Dragon
to such an extent that millions in our so-called Chris-
tion land are reduced to a slavery that beggars de-
scription.

"When will the world wake up to the fact that
individuals are truly born of the Sacrificial Spirit
only when they associate themselves in realizing the
kingdom of heaven on earth?

"John has written this wonderful book, it seems
to me, chieflv to lead us to believe that it is only the

220 THE P URE CA USE WA Y

saints, as he calls them, or social saviors, as we might
express the thought, who shall overcome the evil.

"As John shows us the various epochs of the
world, we are finally brought to look upon a condi-
tion of things which bears a strange resemblance
to the present day. This wonderful disciple, who
learned obedience by the things which he suffered,
was able, because of being in close touch with the
Light of the World, to see what would be the climax
of the awful struggle between self and God, or, as
John words it, between the Dragon and the Lamb.

"He shows us that, because of a great material-
istic civilization, aptly named Babylon, all obstacles
to intercourse, such as rivers, seas and mountains, are
overcome, and he shows us also that this ease of com-
munication enables 'the unclean spirits * * *
to go forth unto the kings of the whole world to
gather them together unto the war of the great day
of God, the Almighty/

"As he predicts it, we find that in the present day
time and space are virtually obliterated by modern in-
ventions, the ancient walls separating the nations are
being broken down by conquest and commercialism,
and the forces of evil, as well as the redemptive ones,
are gathering for the great battle of the Lord, which
must come before He can be Lord of all.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 221

"Let us pause a moment to appreciate John's mar-
velous apprehension of the present crisis. Formerly
he has described the conquerors of the race, those who
lead the forces against the Lord and keep men in
thraldom, as warriors of various types, some appear-
ing like scorpions, or war horses with faces of men
and hair like women; others of different aspect.

"But when he describes this present age, when
because of oppression, he says, 'the sun seems dark-
ened and the moon as blood/ in which men 'can rest
neither day nor night, for the smoke of their torment
goeth up unto ages of ages/ and when only 'those are
able to buy and sell who have the mark of the beast/
we are shown that those who are in power, instead
of beings warriors or kings, are the merchants of the
earth !

"The instrument of oppression is no longer a
sword. A better way has been found to rule men,
and everywhere we see slavery, impotence and tor-
ment as the result of the reign of the last beast.

"The commercial, profit-making spirit reduces
the world to subjection and many to-day realize that
with this sorcery are all the nations of the earth de-
ceived.

"Three agents are marshaling the forces of the
last great struggle, which shall terminate in the com-

222 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

plete victory of the Lamb — the great red Dragon of
Selfishness, the beast Commercialism and the false
prophet which smiles when men try to reconcile the
six days' warfare of the competitive system with the
seventh day worship of the Lamb; and each in his way
is bewitching mankind.

"John sees the real nature of this great civiliza-
tion which puts a premium on hypocrisy and deceit.
He dubs it 'Babylon, the Great, the Mother of Har-
lots and of the Abominations of Earth/ because he
apprehends the unfaithfulness which must result
from any attempt to reconcile wholesale fratricide
with filial obedience. In business, men are not recon-
ciled to their brothers; yet they are continually offer-
ing gifts at the altar of the Lord. Gifts of charity,
endowments of colleges, hospital, etc., are beside the
mark, as long as common sons of a common Father
bite and devour each other in the industrial world. ^

"Self-seeking is the foundation stone of com-
mercialism, and everywhere men are ordering their
earthly affairs according to the policies of the Dragon,
while protesting loudly that they believe in the Lamb.
An adulterous generation, a generation of vipers in
very truth, must it be which can persist in the sins of
the Pharisees after centuries of light.

"The soul-destroying spirit of gain, resulting in

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 223

the enthronement of the last beast, is producing the
most widespread and intolerable tyranny the world
has yet known.

"It is not enough that the civilized world, so-
called, should be the scene of the daily struggle for
life, but through conquest, and the opening up of the
eastern markets, all races will soon be reduced to the
unending strife of our present industrial system.

"We are warned in the Eevelation of St. John
that Babylon, the harlot, gorgeously appareled, to be
sure, but none the less hideous for that, will hold
sway over all the world, for 'the waters which thou
sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and mul-
titudes and nations and tongues/ and 'the merchants/
we are told, 'wax rich because of the power of her
wantonness (or luxury)/

"The wonderful delineation of the last great op-
pression is strangely like our modern life. We read,
among other articles of merchandise which these in-
dustrial princes control, that they also deal in 'the
todies and souls of menP That does not sound ex-
travagant to one who knows the faithless and almost
hopeless condition of many of our wage slaves.

"It but remains for the present tendency to con-
tinue a few more decades and souls will, in very truth,
be hurled heedlessly into the hell of anguish.

224: THE PURE CAUSEWAY

4

"It is a common occurrence to-day for the cap-
tains of industry to take the stand that Labor has
no right to put a price on its own work. And when
men rebel at such tyranny, churchmen and world-
lings join in the cry of 'Anarchy!' and go on in their
noble work of grinding the faces of the poor.

"If the Bevelation ended here we might well
despair; but, thanks be to God, who giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, the future is
bright with the promise of harmony and peace.

"John, like the prophets of o'd, predicts the reve-
lation of a power which shall convert the warring ele-
ments into subjects of the faithful One who loves us
unto the end. He sees once more a united effort of
those who believe in Jesus and strive to walk even as
he walked, ceasing from strife and in love serving one
another.

"It is no wonder that men and women to-day
shrink from the title of saint! Yet as Paul and
others of his inspiration understood it, we are not
only called to be Christ's, but called to be saints.

"Deep down in the soul of every son of Adam
who is living by strife is the consciousness of faith-
lessness. Thank God that wc are of too noble a
lineage to be satisfied with a pretense of religion!
We are gradually realizing that those who shrink

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 225

from a life of perfect self-sacrifice, and continue the
suicidal and fratricidal methods of our present indus-
trial system because they dare not surfer the loss of all
things for Christ, have as truly sold him for money
as did Judas of old.

"And a religious organization which hesitates to
reveal the sacrificial life of Love in every activity of
life is not worthy to be called by the name of Christ.

"The Spirit of Life has tried to convince men of
the fact that the 'kingdom of God is not in word but
in power/ and to lead men to a vital belief that those
who preach the gospel should live by the gospel, or,
as modern thought might express it, those who preach
that Christ came to reveal a new order of society
should live according to its principles.

"But it is so easy to yield to the sorcery of com-
mercialism, to make compromises with sin, that we
can understand the position of the early Christian
church when it succumbed to the standards of the
Roman world. Ever since the Common Life was
overcome by the beast, the dark ages have held sway,
and men have sought escape from the bondage of sin,
the tyranny of self, in every possible way except the
4 way of holiness/ No wonder Paul exclaimed: 'How*
shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation V The
pagan idea of substitution is accountable for much of

226 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

our confusion of thought as to what salvation really
is. We deprive the greatest event in the world of its
saving power if we think of our Savior's life and death
as a substitute for ours. He said emphatically: M
am the way/ Yet the church of God has practically
been teaching by its life that we need not walk in the
way in order to be followers of the Master; and as a
result, Mammon gets the lion's share of worship and
God is crowded into the nooks and corners. We are
mere earth-worms so long as we refuse to be born
into the realm of Love by the influence of the Sac-
rificial Spirit. If we could imagine a clod of earth
professing faith in the beauty and power of the veg-
etable world, yet persistently refusing to allow the life
of that world to lay hold of its elements and convert
them into the realm of the life above, it would be
analagous to what we see in human life — millions pro-
fessing faith in Christ, yet refusing to be converted
by him into a life of power and beauty.

"John had faith enough to believe that some day
the despairing martyrs, struggling against the beast,
would finally unite in his overthrow instead of bat-
tling individually, as heretofore. He therefore pic-
tures a new birth of an old movement, and the saints
of God appear again on the scene. This time they
strengthen each other so nobly, they are so led of the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY .227

Spirit, that they obey the head in all things. They
hear and obey the call, 'Come forth, my people, out of
her (Babylon), that ye have no fellowship with her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.'

"They repudiate the policy of continuing in sin
that grace may abound, and found their whole asso-
ciated life on the Eock Christ Jesus. Seven hundred
years before John, Isaiah apprehended the necessity
of a Servant who serves and redeems the world by
revealing the glory of God to the Gentiles, and he
grasped the truth that this Anointed One must be a
body of believers.

"These, then — the called, the chosen and the faith-
ful, the first-born among many brethren — are the
saints who shall overcome because of the blood of the
Lamb.

"0 my brothers, while we rejoice with joy un-
speakable that we have heard this cry and have ceased
from continuing in sin, let us pray unceasingly that
we may not be led away and enticed, like the early
church. There is no one in our city who has not
suffered persecution because of the word, but that is
as nothing compared to the great tribulation which is
coming. Not easily will the Dragon be overcome.
She who rules the world bv her sorceries, the harlot

228 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

Babylon, is saying even now: 'I sit a queen and am
no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.'

"The great cataclysm depicted by John, in which
'lightnings, and voices, and thunders, followed by a
great earthquake, such as was not since there were
men upon the earth/ is but another description of the
great day of the Lord foretold by Christ: 'Such a
tribulation as hath not been from the beginning of
the world until now — no, nor ever shall be, will try
men's souls and then will the end come.'

"And I believe that it will be even as John fore-
told; that after the revealing of the sons of God, the
saints who live by the gospel, the whole creation shall
enter upon the last great struggle, which is the great
day of God, the Almighty.

"Therefore ye who love not your lives even unto
death, quit you like men, be strong; for not easily
will the powers of darkness yield to the Light of men.
As surely as the Common Life becomes a power, caus-
ing division among men, as the Christ-life always
does, there will be a sending forth of unclean spirits,
as it ^vere frogs, to gather all those who have the mark
t)f the beast, against those who prove by their fearless
associated life that Babylon is doomed. But let us
never forget that it is not to be the day of the Dragon,
but the day of the Almighty; that somehow, some-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 229

where the chaff in men, the useless, faithless part, will
be consumed, 'for this is good and acceptable in the
sight of God our Savior, who willeth that all men
should be saved and come to the knowledge of the
truth.'

"As the Light of life enters more and more into
the darkened souls of men, as the children of the
earth vield more and more to the Lamb of God, the
wild struggle of modern life will be abandoned and
we shall see the faithful city, the New Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as
a bride adorned for her husband.

uO for the day when mankind will understand
that religion is right relations — in a word, righteous-
ness!

"John did not conceive of it as a matter of senti-
ment or emotion only, but rather as the application
of the Love principle to every department of life; and
he gives us a glimpse of social life, so harmonious, so
peaceful as to be fittingly called the bride of the
Prince of Peace. It is worthy of note that the gar-
ment which she wears as the LamVs wife is of fine
linen, symbolizing the righteous acts of the saints.

"The social, communal sins of the world are sepa-
rating it from God— must needs separate till men wel-
come Him as Lord of the business and social life

230 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Then, and not till then, will be realized the vis-
ion of the saint, in which he hears a voice saying:
'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with men, and
he shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be hie
peoples, and God himself shall be with them. And
he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and
death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourn-
ing, nor crying, nor pain any more; the first things
are passed away/ And he that sitteth on the throne
said: 'Behold, I make all things new/

"Therefore, for the hope that is set before us, let
us, like our Master, endure the cross, despising the
shame, till mankind attains 'unto the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ/

"Before the closing words were spoken the whole
congregation was bowed in prayer, and for some time
nothing but the whispering leaves broke the stillness.
Then a strain of sweetest music rang out, as the first
and second sopranos began a grand Te Deum, the
words of which are found in the fifth chapter of
Revelation, at the thirteenth and fourteenth verses.
The recitative, bringing out the idea of the final
adoration of the whole creation, was rendered by the

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 231

tenors; and then came the full, grand chorrs at the
end, which was overwhelming.

"The benediction was a blessing indeed, so differ-
ent from the usual stereotyped form:

" 'The Lord make you to increase and abound in
love one toward another, and toward all men, that
he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness
before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord
Jesus with all his saints.5

"You may be sure, dearest mother, that no one
went away from that meeting chatting lightly and
asking each other how they 'enjoyed the sermon.'

"I have written at such length in order to keep
the substance of the sermon in black and white; but I
hope you are not tired out with this wordy epistle
and for your sake 111 leave the description of the rest
of the Sabbath till we meet face to face. Till then
pray with me that our whole family may desire to do
all that we can toward the 'revealing of the sons of
God.' From your loving son,

"Alan H. Barrett."

After the meeting described bv Barrett, which

232 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

lasted only an hour, we gathered in our various din-
ing-halls for what the world would call a Sunday
school. The brisk walk from the amphitheater
helped us to enter into the study with zest and no
time was lost in assembling, for we are all eager for
the work before us.

A few points of contrast between our meeting
for Bible study and the worldly way may be of in-
terest.

We are all so interested in that history which lies
at the foundation of our life here that we do not have
to bribe the children in order to get them to attend
our schools and study the word; neither do we have
perfunctory teaching.

Among the younger children there are leaders or
guides, who, because of their work in the higher
grades, have proved their fitness to inspire and guide
the little ones.

In the older classes each one is expected to take
turns at being the leader or conductor of the lessson
hour. The Bible is the only book seen in the room,
though papers- and pencils are in evidence, being
found an aid in many ways. The work is all graded
and we are all there for work.

We do not need hymn books, as all know the
words and hymns. A few choice hymns are selected

THE PURE C Ah SEW AY 233

each month for the following one and before the
time comes they are known by heart through home
use.

We spend one hour in close application to the
subject of the lesson, and then, uniting in the Lord's
prayer, separate till eleven o'clock. Many prefer to
spend the time on the lake or near it, while some re-
turn home, or gather under the trees enjoying the
happy friendships of our life.

The dinner, or breakfast, properly speaking, being
at eleven, as usual, leaves plenty of time for the en-
joyment of home life before the meeting at half -past
four in the afternoon.

No one ever misses that meeting, or, for that mat-
ter, any meeting, if it is possible to avoid it. But
this frank and fearless discussion of God's word is
one of our most inspiring influences and it is always
treated practically in the light of our present prob-
lems.

After our supper at the hall Alan and I were
sitting alone under the pines near the pavilion, talk-
ing over the thoughts of the day, when I said: "You
certainly are a funny boy, Alan; for, although when
among people you seem in your element, because of
your wonderful social gifts, yet you are apparently

234 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

perfectly happy when alone. Are yon really as inde-
pendent of social life as you seem?"

He thought a moment and then replied: "I think
I never have needed people the way most folks seem
to; yet many interest me deeply. For instance," and
the dear, charming smile that I had learned to watch
for, lit up his changeful face, "I am wonderfully in-
terested in all your college classmates, and yet have
met only a few. Is Elizabeth among us at present?
I would so much enjoy seeing her."

"Yes, and suppose we spend the evening at her
home?"

So we were soon well on the way toward the plaza
near the lake, and, passing on around the southern
shore, we struck into a road which ascends gradually
and terminates at a bluff, on the top of which stands
Elizabeth's home, commanding a fine view of the lake
and city.

We came up just in time to see the end of a frolic
between Elizabeth, Don and the two little children;
and as we stepped onto the low, wide piazza, Elizabeth
came forward to greet us, looking sweeter than ever
with the happy love-light in her dark gray eyes, her
cheeks flushed with the exercise and her soft, rich
chestnut hair partly loosened, so that it threw every
beauty in her face into fine relief.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 235

1 was very glad, for I wanted Alan to see her at
her best, for I love her more than all else in the world.
And, lest any reading these pages might wonder how
I could be at peace under such circumstances, let me
say that when one is truly alive unto Christ, our com-
fort also aboundeth through Christ, and in all these
things we are more than conquerors.

'The natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him;"
but one only has to taste and see that the Lord is
good.

After awhile Elizabeth left us to put the little
ones to bed, and Don suggested that we stroll to the
top of the hill back of the house, so that Barrett
might see the city from a new point of view.

We wrere some distance around the southern shore
of the lake and on a slight promontory, so that we
looked acrosss the water to the center of the city.
Eising above the Building of the Cross, because on
higher ground, and somewhat to the north of it, wTe
could see the light, graceful school building for the
little ones, while equally distant from the amphi-
theater toward the south we could catch a glimpse
of the companion school building where the older
children pursue their studies.

The buildings, even at this distance, looked so

236 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

different from the uninviting, ponderous school
structures of the world that Barrett was impressed
immediately and, turning to Don, said: "I can easily
see that your ideas as to education are unique, for
such buildings suggest all sorts of good things.
Won't you tell me something about your school sys-
tem?"

"No, indeed," laughed Don; "I'd only mangle the
subject. Wait till we reach heme, and Elizabeth will
tell you more in ten minutes than I could in an hour.
You see, she serves in the kindergarten herself, as we
believe that mothers, if prepared by thorough study,
are the best guides to the little ones."

Barrett listened in amazement, saying: "How de-
lightful! But what becomes of her own little tots
while she is there?"

Whereat Don threw his head back, laughing
heartily and saying: "Poor boy! How hampered you
are by the world's artificial methods!

"The kindergartens in the commercial system are
one of the few attempts at natural, wholesome life,
but they are so caught in the toils of the world that
they cannot go far.

"With us we make everything subservient to the
development of our children from babyhood up,

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 237

knowing full well that whatsoever a community
soweth that shall it also reap.

"We feel that the mother-heart, purified from nar-
row home prejudices and trained in methods, is the
most fitting guide for our little ones, and also that
even babies are susceptible to the influences of happy,
sunny associated life.

"Consequently, at the same hour that older mem-
bers repair to their various spheres of activity and
education, you will see our mothers and their children
wending their way to our kindergarten, which is vir-
tually a large, co-operative garden for the cultiva-
tion of our human flowers.

"But don't imagine that the tiny ones are school
children in the old sense. They simply enjoy more
privileges of full life than would be possible in their
individual homes.

"As a result, our mothers include in their warm
personal love the children of our whole common-
wealth, and are at the same time freed from narrow
views of their own children's faults and virtues. Of
course the session lasts only till eleven; but the little
ones apprehend more of the principles of true, fear-
less, ideal life in one week than would be possible in
a year of worldly schooling. But Elizabeth will in-
troduce you to the merry, earnest life, and if you

238 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

don't fall in love with womanhood and childhood be-
fore she has finished with you, you are not the man I
take you for.

"But do you see that large, white building nes-
tling among the trees directly across the lake from
us? No, not in the city, but due north. There,
that's it — the one with the Corinthian columns.

"That is the seat of our higher education. When
you enter it you will think it a free library, and so it
is, but is also our college. We believe that, under our
system, boys and girls will be better fitted to select
and pursue their own course of study when they have
passed from the higher grades of our school than
men ordinarily are at twenty-five.

"As yet, of course, only those who were well along
in years when they came to us, are using this privi-
lege of independent study, as it will be some years
before our little ones are ready."

"But don't these students lose much in not at-
tending lectures and recitations ?"

"Not so fast, my friend," said Don; "who said they
didn't attend lectures? Our best thinkers and stu-
dents are devoting their entire public service to the
delivering of the products of their research and study
to all who need their help, here as well as in the
world at large. Every evening, in one or more of our

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 239

gathering places, lectures are given by our most taU
ented men and women, after which we generally have
a free parliament for the discussion of the subject in
hand. This we feel sure more than supplies the
place of perfunctory recitations. But Elizabeth must
be waiting for us. Let's have a race to the house."

And off we went like three schoolboys, Don reach-
ing the goal first, blessed as he is with an unusually
magnificent physique, even for our healthy race of
men.

As we bounded onto the piazza, Elizabeth wel-
comed the victor with childlike glee, and I thought,
as I often do, how vouthful those are who take God
at his word and are anxious for nothing.

We had hardly settled ourselves when I saw, by
the flush and light in Alan's face, that something
pleasant was happening, and, following the direction
of his eyes, I saw approaching a graceful figure, clad
in white and green, who on a nearer view proved to
be Louise.

All through the evening I could not but watch
and wonder if these two were to find their highest de-
velopment in each other. In our life, where it is
impossible to marry for position, money or any other
worldly ambition, and our first object is to do God's
will in all things, we believe that none should marry

240 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

save as they are persuaded that in so doing they may
serve humanity more perfectly than would otherwise
be possible.

So that, though all are perfectly free in the choice
of helpmeets, our commonwealth insists on a period
during which each may be fully persuaded in his own
mind that entering upon the most sacred relationship
of life would make for the good of all.

As we sat chatting on a variety of subjects the
impression grew upon me that Louise, in her brilliant
intellectual life and with her vivacious temperament,
would be a fine complement to Alan's more intro-
spective and poetic one.

But time alone can tell.

Possibly his independence of society will make
it possible for him to be in the thick of the fight,
bearing the name of Christ before the world, un-
hampered by responsibilities at home

I often feel that, endowed as he is with the imag-
ination and power of a poet, he will prove to be an
eloquent speaker, convincing the burdened and
blinded sons of men of the beauty of holiness pos-
sible to the sons of God.

We separated at an early hour, believing as we do
that a perfectly healthy body is necessary to the "ut-
most service"; so that, when the trumpets sounded

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 241

the next morning Alan was ready with the rest of us
for the assembly of the saints.

Don't imagine that we are required to gather
every day. We simply wouldn't miss the inspiration
that comes from the public service of song.

On week days it is held at half -past six, and, last-
ing only ten minutes, we have plenty of time to reach
our posts of service by seven o'clock.

Barrett had expressed a desire to see all the ac-
tivities of our city life, so he went with me to my
present occupation in the paper factory.

After watching me for awhile, busy at the work
of an unskilled laborer, he said: "I can't help but feel
that that is a foolish waste of talents. You are fitted
for higher work than that."

"But," I argued, "it is necessary work, even though
uninteresting, and some one would have to do it if I
did not. We do not believe that any one should be
obliged to spend all of his time in such work, so we all
take turns, thereby preventing any possibility of pride
of caste."

"But isn't the community made poorer when one
who could do good work in a special line does what
unskilled labor might do?"

"That would be an argument in the world, where
only a small fraction ever have a chance to develop

242 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

a specialty. But in our life, where fear of starvation
is unknown, where domination is impossible, where
men, women and children have time enough and
every incentive to develop the talents which our
Father gives to every soul, each one is a skilled laborer
or specialist, and so we each take turns in bearing
the burden of disagreeable work, and honor each
other in the doing of it. No one person has to give
much time out of the year to such employment and
we resume our specialties with added interest, in-
creased knowledge, and sympathies which rmake for
righteousness."

"May I ask, then, what your specialty is?"

"Until a year ago I was occupied at the publish-
ing house, but latterly I have been greatly relieved
in that direction in order to give my time to some
other literary work. Pm sure you will find the ac-
tivities at the Building of the Cross, where all such
interests center, mast attractive, and so we'll keep
that for the last. Wentworth told me that he could
show you around to-day and so Til deliver you into his
hands for the rest of the time."

"All right, Martin," he replied, "but Fm very
eager to look into the school work. Couldn't that
come pretty soon?"

"My object in letting you see the business activi-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY .343

ties first/' I explained, is that you might be sure to
see, before leaving us, how heartily men and women,
released from the degrading system of commercialism,
respond to an atmosphere of faith, hope and love. If
these can work from other motives than self-interest,
surely our children, born and bred in love, and be-
lieving in the dignity of all useful work, will take
their part in bearing one another's burdens/'

"I submit to your plan," said Alan, and off he
started toward the building near us, where he found
Wentworth, gay as ever in the midst of leather work.
He was relieved from his duties by his apprentice,
whose work at school was over for the day. So he
and Alan spent a delightful morning visiting the
various places of work, where men and women fel-
lowship with each other, and their Father, in pro-
ductive activities, under conditions that develop
rather than dwarf the whole being.

Barrett exclaimed at the airiness, roominess and
general attractiveness of our workshops, ignorant, as
most worldlings are, of the fact that it is only the
insane and selfish desire to make a money-profit
from the daily activities that reduces work to its
present unprofitable conditions.

Where profit-grinding is the summum bonum of
existence, competition, as it exists in the lower world

244 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

to-day, is absolutely necessary, the result being, as we
see, unending struggle and a bare existence for the
mass of men.

But where character is the object of associated life,
men find that work can be conducted so as to make
the development of the whole man possible.

When we met at the eleven o'clock meal Alan was
brimming over with enthusiasm and declared that he
was already longing to take his place among the
servants of the race, who are on earth cs Christ said
he was, "as one who eerv^es."

"A text that I saw over the entrance of the shoe
factory struck me more forcibly than it ever has be-
fore. You know it, of course — 'My father worketh
even until now, and I work. Never before has the
whole of life impressed me as being divine/' This
from Alan.

"Probably because, while it is ordered on the prin-
ciple of war, it smacks more of the devil/' I replied.
"You doubtless observed the words over the door of
the clothing house, 'Love worketh no ill to his neigh-
bor'? Could you imagine those words over the door
of a sweater's den, where the conditions are such as
to menace the physical, mental and moral life of those
who spend their days there?

"The diseases rampant in these dens, work con-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 245

siderable ill to the public that buys the garments, to
say nothing of the poor, diseased victims themselves."

"Yes, indeed. After seeing the contrast between
the conditions under which these citizens work and
those poor slaves of the competitive system, I long
to give the world the message of Isaiah: ' Wherefore
do ye spend money for that which is not bread and
your labor for that which satisfieth not? If ye be
willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the
land.' "

During the next two days Barrett was occupied in
visiting our dairy, bakery, farms and factories, and
was more and more impressed with the ease with
which the work is done, as well as the truly educa-
tional effect on the workers.

Tuesday evening, as we were stretched out on
the grass in the woods near our house, our dainty
little table maid, Leta, joined us, bringing gayety
with her. Very soon, however, spying a boon com-
panion on her way home, she dashed off, making it
seem quite dull because of her departure. In a few
moments Alan touched on the matter over which he
had evidently been puzzling.

"I can't help but feel that she ought to be engaged
in better work than that of waiting on our table.
Surely at her age, and especially with such apparent

246 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

gifts, she ought to be giving her whole time to de-
veloping all her powers."

"Certainly. But what better way would you sug-
gest than that she should spend some time each day
serving others?

"Of course she is pursuing her studies and is one
of our most promising scholars. That, however, does
not prevent her from giving a short time twice a day
to social service. Tin afraid we do not appreciate
as we should the educational value of all such work.
Surely if the Master could develop so grandly
through thirty years of service in a carpenter's shop,
we cannot go far astray if we each share the burden of
useful work.

"And if, as in his case, the call comes to go forth
into more public though not more noble work, do
you not think that we, like him, will be all the better
fitted for the task because of the development of
character due to just such a training?

"You must have realized by this time that we
have in our fellowship no menials, or, as the world
calls them, servants. But neither do we have any
one here who is not serving the brotherhood in some
practical way.

"To prevent limitation or fatigue we arrange for
a rotation of work, unless some seem pre-eminently

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 247

fitted for one special service, I am speaking only in
reference to that which the world usually calls
drudgery."

"But/' queried Alan, "what about the feeble or
sick ones ?"

"You speak as if you had seen some such among
us. Have you?"

Looking up very much surprised, he admitted
that he had seen no one who even suggested weakness.

"It is queer, isn't it," I asked, "that most people
read the promises of God relating to physical and
material benefits as if they were so much talk, as we
say?

"Yet the more we learn to obey the commands
which have for their object a just and righteous so-
cial life, the more we appreciate that our God keep-
eth truth forever.

"Of course when one comes to us from the world,
bringing with him the physique which naturally re-
sults from broken laws, it takes time to build him up
into the man of power.

"But we who see the gradual transformation from
weakness and limitation to a joyous, abounding life
can appreciate the claim of Jehovah, 'I have broken
the bars of your yoke and made you go upright/

"I haven't a doubt that perfect sanitation, un-

248 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

selfish living under the blessed influences of Mother
Nature, and an earnest following on to know the Lord
by all the saints will in time render disease an un-
known quantity.

"But we could chat elsewhere. Suppose we fin-
ish our talk at the library? The moon is full and
we can hear the music from the plaza across the
water, so that it will be an ideal place to spend the
evening." y

As Barrett seemed delighted with the suggestion,
we were soon wheeling westward beyond the last
circle and out toward the northern shore of the lake.

When we reached the silvery waters we both dis-
mounted and strolled along the shore, enjoying the
beauty of the scene to tliQ utmost.

But the pure white building gleaming through
the trees drew us onward and we were soon at the
grand entrance.

The first sight that claimed our attention on en-
tering the main room were the words, beautifully in-
scribed on the wall opposite us: "Cease from thine
own wisdom * * * that ye may be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto
all pleasing, in every good work hearing fruit, and in-
creasing in the knowledge of God, made powerful in

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 249

all power according to the might of his glory unto all
patience and long-suffering with joy/ "

Barrett read the words slowly over and over again,
evidently absorbed in thought; so I slipped away for
awhile, judging that he could best enter into the
spirit of the place when alone with the Spirit of Wis-
dom.

Some time later I found him sitting in the moon-
light on one of the many balconies, having in his
hand a copy of one of Prof. Davis' books. As I
joined him he exclaimed: "How true it is, as this
passage says, 'Natural goodness is not Christian good-
ness, whatever else it may be/ for natural goodness
never leads a man to renounce all that he has and is
for the sake of the hateful, the unworthy and the un-
grateful ones of the earth.

"Of all the men and women in your sketch he in-
terested me the most, although you said little about
him personally. How I would like to meet him!"

"One does not need to say much about a person
who is really alive, for life always speaks for itself.

"But it is a curious fact that our associated life
cannot claim him as a member, for he cannot feel it
right to do as we have done.

"He feels that for him to join such a united effort
would be to deny his faith in sacrifice, and that his

250 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

place is in the thick of the fight, bearing away the
guilt of the world.

"But we feel that even Christ did not bear the sins
of the world by becoming sinful. Neither did he re-
move sickness by taking the disease into his own
body. Eather say he bore our iniquity — though all
must admit that our willfulness and sin pressed upon
his heart of love as it has on no other — by showing
us a better way than the old one of self-seeking. He
revealed principles by his own self-abnegation, which
when followed by hip professed disciples will bear
away the sins and sorrows of the world. And so our
citizens are trying to reveal these principles by co-
operation, for we feel sure that honest toil with the
hands is one of the necessary elements in man's de-
velopment, and our object in uniting is to render
honest and simple life possible to all, so that all may
develop into manly men and womanly women.

"Of course we appreciate the force of the criticism
that until all can do likewise it appears selfish. But
when no one is refused membership because of ig-
norance or poverty, and when our whole life aims at
the witnessing to our faith by eloquent preaching
among all nations, as well as by upright living, I do
not see the force of the accusation.

"If the industrial co-operative societies of Eng-

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 251

land, for instance, had never been formed because
the workingmen, say in Italy, could not join them,
think you the movement would be as far advanced
to-day as it is?

"It is by giving expression to their idea of co-
operation that the cause receives adherents in other
parts of the globe, and the formation of such societies
anywhere hastens the day when they can be formed
everywhere. Suppose, then, that the concept of co-
partnership in all matters, burning in the hearts of
men years before our life here was entered upon, had
never found expression in outward life, do you think
the progress toward the socialization of all life would
be as advanced as it is to-day?

"Our city is only one of many all over our broad
land, and it was only a few years ago that not one
existed.

"And another thought had its weight with us,
which was, that a common life is the only soil in
which ennobling art or true science may develop.
But, while we differ from our dear friend, we respect
and love him intensely. There is no question that
his motive is the purest possible, and that is the
test of any action or position. And he, on his part,
fellowships with us in a very true sense, although he
feels obliged to live differently."

252 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"How was it at the time of your meeting in New
York at Elizabeth's? Didn't the professor agree with
this idea then?"

"In the main, yes; though he told us frankly at
the time that he was not fully persuaded in his own
mind. And before the time had come for us to unite
our forces he had come to his present conclusion.
My own feeling in the matter is that few such souls
are as pure as his, and in order to do their best work
they must get out of the system that blinds the eyes,
dwarfs the conceptions and undermines the courage.
"Then, too, how can one who professes to be dead
to sin live any longer therein?

"When we are prepared by experience and study
to witness intelligently to the faith that is in us we
all go forth in various capacities to win the world to
Love."

"Well," replied Alan, "for my part I favor the
idea of co-operation, for then the commonwealth finds
expression in each individual and he also lives in
it. When one man speaks to the world he carries the
weight of the social life with him. Then we could
actually say: 'We have seen and bear witness and de-
clare unto you the life, the eternal life which was
with the Father and was manifested unto us/ "

"Yes; we all see it that way, of course, and we

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 253

shall rejoice to count you as one of us. But what
time do you suppose it is?"

To our surprise we were apparently the last in our
commonwealth to turn our steps homeward.

And as we passed through the city, speaking as it
did so forcibly of mutual helpfulness and trust, I
could not but be confirmed in my belief that, as Hil-
man so well expressed it years ago, "It is our high
privilege to live right here and now, instead of spend-
ing our days in a wild endeavor at getting ready to
live in some distant sphere."

On rising the next morning we found the rain
coming down in torrents, and at the blast of the
trumpets summoning us to worship Alan's face ex-
pressed the question he did not voice.

"Why, you see," said I, surmising his perplexity,
"on days like this we gather in the central audience
hall in the Building of the Cross. As we were
planning to go through that building to-day, it
couldn't have turned out better for our purpose."

Boarding a car, we had a pleasant ride, in spite
of the rain, catching glimpses of our objective point
as we crossed the main boulevards in our diminishing
circles. As we crossed the circular space around the
building and approached the steps of the main en-
trance we stopped to read the inscription above it,

254 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

"Go ye into all the world and preach the good news to
the whole creation * * * that the creation itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage of corrup-
tion into the liberty of the glory of the children of
God."

Such good news is indeed a gospel of hope, and
we feel that by such thoughts, inscribed where we
will often see them, our faith in the Omnipotent One
will be renewed and our hands strengthened.

In the audience hall the eye often rests on the
words above the speaker's platform, "Far be it from
me to glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world hath been crucified
unto me, and I unto the world."

After the short meeting was over we stayed awhile
so that Alan might examine the various points of in-
terest in this, our most beautiful assembly hall.
Nothing in it is for mere display, but the workman- f
ship on all the necessary parts is of so artistic a qual-
ity as to be in itself a sermon.

As we stood noting the beauties of the place Alan
turned the conversation by asking me how it was
that I could be free to give my day to him.

"Why, you see," I replied, "we have a system of
apprenticeship, which serves two purposes; it edu-
cates our youth in some branch of productive work

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 255

and at the same time makes possible a varied service
for the adults, by releasing them as occasion requires
from their daily work.

"In our school system we aim at the cultivation
of the hand as well as the head and heart; or, rather,
we appreciate the head and heart culture which in-
heres in that of the hand.

"But after the child has passed beyond the school
we expect that he or she will be ready to serve the
commonwealth with some degree of ability in the
shops, where each is guided in his work by one of the
older citizens. To-day my apprentice is substituting
for me so that I may serve you if possible."

As we were conversing I led the way through an
archway that connects the audience hall with one
of the wings of the building, and for the rest of the
morning we visited the various departments of our
printing and publishing house, coming at last to the
offices and bureaus, which occupy the angles of the
building on the ground floor. These are so arranged
as to make it possible for business to be transacted
from the outside of the building, a portico of great
architectural beauty in each of the four angles serving
as a shelter in inclement weather.

Of course each separate office is in communication

256 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

with the ground floor of the interior, but as a rule
all the business transactions occur in the open air.

Here you will find the telephone office for local
and general use, as well as the telegraph, express and
post offices.

Here, too, are rooms for the various committees
of our commonwealth, one of which was to hold a
meeting in the afternoon, at which we were both to
be present. Alan had decided to confer with our
advisory council, as he was determined to unite with
us in our service of mankind.

But that very afternoon a telegram telling of the
serious illness of his mother called him home, and
shortlv afterward we heard that she who would have
sustained him in his new experiences had been called
to wider activities beyond.

There had been such close sympathy and deep
love between them that it was a heavy blow to "our
boy," as we of our cottage were already calling him.

But that was not his only trial. The father,
though an upright, God-fearing man, was so blinded
by the ideals of commercialism that he could look
upon Barrett's decision only as madness.

Verily Alan could appreciate Paul's experience
when he admitted that "We are fools for Christ's
sake."

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 257

The father and son could not understand each
other, and the sister — well, as yet she is drawn in two
directions because of her love for both.

In such a case one learns to know what the
Savior meant when he said: "He that loveth father
or mother more than me is not worthy of me."

Alan was purified, not hardened, by much suffer-
ing, and came back to us knowing better than for-
merly what is meant by the saying "that through
many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom,
of God."

We all learn in some way what is "the fellowship
of his suffering," and the father will some day thank
God that when the tribulation came to his son be-
cause of the word he was not offended, but remained
true and faithful.

His novitiate year passed quickly, during which,
in his happy, magnetic life, he was a blessing to us
all, and when the time came to receive him into full
membership no one, no, not even those of the earth,
earthy, could have looked upon him in his wholesome
beauty without knowing beyond a doubt that he was a
son of God.

When the trumpets sounded on that glorious Sab-
bath morning in June the streets of our city were
thronged with men and women clad all in white,

258 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

wearing on their breasts a cross of blood. How I
wish all those who deny the divine life might have
seen the faces in this most joyous yet solemn pro-
cession!

Here indeed the Christian virtues marched in
happy unison — Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering,
Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness, Self-
Control, and in every sense were they walking by the
Spirit.

The sky above, the trees, the grass, the flowers,
were rejoicing with us in the resurrection from the
dead, and as the foremost ones reached the trumpet-
ers a glorious chorus of thanks broke from a thousand
lips, "Our brother who was dead is alive forever."

It was in measured time and far more impressive
than the grandest funeral march of the world's best
composers, savoring as it did of life instead of death.

As we were finally all gathered in our places, the
processional merged into a soft refrain, sung almost
under the breath: "If we die with him, we shall also
live with him; if we endure," we shall also reign with
him."

Then while we knelt in silent prayer we were as
conscious of the Spirit's presence as we might have
been of the wind in the trees above us.

In accordance with Alan's urgent request, Prof.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 259

Davis was with us on this day, and truly the place
was lightened with his glory, and we felt the influence
all through the communion of his pure and lofty
soul.

Most impressively came the words from his lips:

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Ohrist shall
all be made aljve.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain
of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by
itself alone; but if it die it beareth much fruit.

"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
If the world hateth you, ye know that it hated me
before it hated you. If ye were of the world the
world would love its own.

"My little children, let us not love in word,
neither with the tongue, but in deed and truth.

"Love worketh no ill to its neighbor * * *
taketh not account of evil, beareth all things, be-
lieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things. Love never faileth * * * but it shall
accomplish that whereunto I sent it.

"For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh
the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith."

Then came our chant, the words of which are:

"For freedom, did Christ set us free; stand fast,

260 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of
bondage."

At this point Alan came forth in sight of all, while
our father in the gospel put to him the questions of
life and death; and we knew by his sweet, uncon-
scious, joyous face that he was in very truth alive
unto Christ.

When the final question was asked, ''Have you the
faith of God, that all shall be made alive unto Him,
and heaven be realized through unfailing love?" he
replied in ringing tones, which sent a thrill through
us all, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty"

Following his confession of faith came the rite
of baptism, typifying Alan's death to the world. and
resurrection in Christ; and then Dr. Davis gave him
this word of comfort from the Living One:

"He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no
more; and I will write upon him the name of my God,
and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusa-
lem which cometh down out of heaven from my God,
and mine own new name."

After Alan had resumed his place in the congrega-
tion, the professor read for us selections from our
well-loved chapter the eighth of Eomans, and we felt
its power anew:

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 261

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them
that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin
and of death.

"For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind
of the spirit is life and peace; because the mind of
flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can it be; and the j that are
in the flesh cannot please God.

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if
so be that the spirit of God dwelleth in you.

"But if any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is
none of his. For as many as are led by the spirit of
God, these are the sons of God. The spirit himself
beareth witness with our spirit that we are the chil-
dren of God * * * if so be that we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified with him.

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed to us-ward.

"For the earnest expectation of the creation wait-
eth for the revealing of the sons of God.

"For the creation was subjected to transitoriness,
not of its own will, but by reason of him who sub-
jected it, in hope, because the creation itself also

26.2 THE PURE CAUSEWAY

shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God.

'Tor whom he foreknew he also foreordained to
be conformed to the image of Ms son. that he might
be the first-born among many brethren; and whom he
foreordained, them he also called; and whom he
called, them he also justified, and whom he justified,
them he also glorified.

"What, then, shall we say to these things? If
God is for us who is against us?

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution, or fam-
ine or nakedness or peril or sword?

"Nay; in all these things we are more than con-
querors through him that loved us.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord/'

A short silence followed and then came the prayer,
echoed by every one in the vast assembly, as the face
of our father in the gospel was lifted to the blue
heavens above us.

THE PURE CAUSEWAY 263

"Now unto him that is able to guard you from
stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his
glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only
God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be
glory, majesty, dominion and power before all time,
and now, and unto all the ages/'

After this came the quiet communion season, the
only sound that broke the stillness during the whole
time being the words spoken by our leader, which
were simply, "If any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come into him and will sup with him
and he with me.

"I am the living bread which came down out of
heaven; if any man eat of this bread he shall live
forever."

Not another word was spoken, not a prayer was
voiced; but all were in the spirit and time ceased.

One by one the sons of God slipped quietly away,
renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that
created them, and ready once more to be about our
Father's business.

"And now I beseech you, brethren, by the meek-
ness and gentleness of Christ, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God,
which is your spiritual worship.

"And be not fashioned according to this world; but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and
perfect will of God."

MAY 31 1899

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